California RDA Law & Ethics Exam Prep/Comprehensive Study Guide
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Standard of care - ✔✔Otherwise known as the customary standards and practice of the dental
profession; a set of professional standards that are not in law or regulation but established by the
professional within the profession such as code of ethics; the standard of care is often defined as
what a reasonable person would do in the same or similar circumstance.
Fiduciary Responsibility - ✔✔Holding of something of trust to another; a relationship based on
the trust responsibility between patient and health care provider.
Amoral - ✔✔To be without moral; lacking moral sensitivity; not caring about right and wrong.
Ethics - ✔✔A set of principles of right conduct; the general nature of morals and the specific
moral choices made by a person.
Biennial - ✔✔Every two years; license renewal is required biennially.
Code of ethics - ✔✔A collection of rules or guidelines addressing the ethical standards of a
profession of professional entity.
,Autonomous/autonomy - ✔✔Independent; not controlled by others or outside forces; self-
directed; independent in mind and judgment.
Ex: Patient's are capable of autonomous decision-making and have the right to determine what
should be done with their body.
Battery - ✔✔The commission of bodily harm against another; unlawful touching or striking of
another person.
Continuing education - ✔✔After receiving a license, licensees continuing their education, as a
condition of license renewal during the succeeding two-year period; also applies to permit
holders.
Character - ✔✔A description of a person's attributes, traits and abilities; the qualities that define
a person or a group; could be used to define moral or ethical strength.
Confidentiality - ✔✔That which held I confidence; done or communicated in secret; the state of
trust placed in a dental assistant by patient so as not to communicate those items which are
privileged
Beneficence - ✔✔The state or quality of being kind, charitable and promoting good will.
,Defamation - ✔✔To damage the reputation, character or good name of another or libel; the
making of false statements maliciously.
Nolo Contendere - ✔✔Legal term that comes from the Latin for "I do not wish to contend". It is
also referred to as a plea "no contest"; it is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes
a charge, serving as an alternative to a pleading of guilt or not guilty.
Licensure Categories (Auxiliaries) - ✔✔DA- unlicensed dental assistant
RDA- registered dental assistant
OAP- orthodontic assistance permit holder
DSAP- dental sedation assistance permit holder
RDAEF- registered dental assisting in extended functions
RDH- registered dental hygienist
RDHEF- registered dental hygienist in extended functions
RDHAP- registered dental hygienist in alternative practice
, Impaired Professional - ✔✔A professional healthcare provider who is no longer able to perform
fiction in a professional capacity and with competence; may be impaired by drugs or alcohol.
Implied consent - ✔✔By nature of being present in the treatment facility, it is implied that the
patient is seeking treatment; a dentist may not communicate the full details of the treatment plan
- therfore treatment may being with implied consent without agreeing in writing or verbally.
Statue - ✔✔Otherwise known as laws, established by the legislature in misdemeanor or felony
if violated; dental assisting duties are in statue.
Direct supervision - ✔✔A licensed dentist must be physically present in the treatment facility
during the performance of the function; the function must be checked and approved by the
supervising dentist prior to dismissal of the patient from the office.
Discrimination - ✔✔Treatment or consideration placed on class or category rather than
individual merit; treating persons differently based in their physical, mental or emotional state,
race or gender.
General supervision - ✔✔Does not require the physical presence of the dentist during the
performance not those procedures based on instructions given by the supervising dentist.
Implied - ✔✔A term used when data or knowledge is not specifically stated verbally or in
writing; and inferred statement
QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Standard of care - ✔✔Otherwise known as the customary standards and practice of the dental
profession; a set of professional standards that are not in law or regulation but established by the
professional within the profession such as code of ethics; the standard of care is often defined as
what a reasonable person would do in the same or similar circumstance.
Fiduciary Responsibility - ✔✔Holding of something of trust to another; a relationship based on
the trust responsibility between patient and health care provider.
Amoral - ✔✔To be without moral; lacking moral sensitivity; not caring about right and wrong.
Ethics - ✔✔A set of principles of right conduct; the general nature of morals and the specific
moral choices made by a person.
Biennial - ✔✔Every two years; license renewal is required biennially.
Code of ethics - ✔✔A collection of rules or guidelines addressing the ethical standards of a
profession of professional entity.
,Autonomous/autonomy - ✔✔Independent; not controlled by others or outside forces; self-
directed; independent in mind and judgment.
Ex: Patient's are capable of autonomous decision-making and have the right to determine what
should be done with their body.
Battery - ✔✔The commission of bodily harm against another; unlawful touching or striking of
another person.
Continuing education - ✔✔After receiving a license, licensees continuing their education, as a
condition of license renewal during the succeeding two-year period; also applies to permit
holders.
Character - ✔✔A description of a person's attributes, traits and abilities; the qualities that define
a person or a group; could be used to define moral or ethical strength.
Confidentiality - ✔✔That which held I confidence; done or communicated in secret; the state of
trust placed in a dental assistant by patient so as not to communicate those items which are
privileged
Beneficence - ✔✔The state or quality of being kind, charitable and promoting good will.
,Defamation - ✔✔To damage the reputation, character or good name of another or libel; the
making of false statements maliciously.
Nolo Contendere - ✔✔Legal term that comes from the Latin for "I do not wish to contend". It is
also referred to as a plea "no contest"; it is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes
a charge, serving as an alternative to a pleading of guilt or not guilty.
Licensure Categories (Auxiliaries) - ✔✔DA- unlicensed dental assistant
RDA- registered dental assistant
OAP- orthodontic assistance permit holder
DSAP- dental sedation assistance permit holder
RDAEF- registered dental assisting in extended functions
RDH- registered dental hygienist
RDHEF- registered dental hygienist in extended functions
RDHAP- registered dental hygienist in alternative practice
, Impaired Professional - ✔✔A professional healthcare provider who is no longer able to perform
fiction in a professional capacity and with competence; may be impaired by drugs or alcohol.
Implied consent - ✔✔By nature of being present in the treatment facility, it is implied that the
patient is seeking treatment; a dentist may not communicate the full details of the treatment plan
- therfore treatment may being with implied consent without agreeing in writing or verbally.
Statue - ✔✔Otherwise known as laws, established by the legislature in misdemeanor or felony
if violated; dental assisting duties are in statue.
Direct supervision - ✔✔A licensed dentist must be physically present in the treatment facility
during the performance of the function; the function must be checked and approved by the
supervising dentist prior to dismissal of the patient from the office.
Discrimination - ✔✔Treatment or consideration placed on class or category rather than
individual merit; treating persons differently based in their physical, mental or emotional state,
race or gender.
General supervision - ✔✔Does not require the physical presence of the dentist during the
performance not those procedures based on instructions given by the supervising dentist.
Implied - ✔✔A term used when data or knowledge is not specifically stated verbally or in
writing; and inferred statement
