ETHICS AND LAW IN DENTAL HYGIENE
3RDEDITION
by PHYLLIS L. BEEMSTERBOER
, Table of Contents
Chapter 01: Ethics and Professionalism ........................................... 3
Chapter 02: Ethical Theory and Philosophy .................................. 16
Chapter 03: Ethical Principles and Values ..................................... 26
Chapter 04: Social Responsibility .................................................. 38
Chapter 05: Codes of Ethics .......................................................... 43
Chapter 06: Dental Hygienist–Patient Relationship ...................... 50
Chapter 07: Dental Hygienist–Dentist–Employer Relationship..... 71
Chapter 08: Risk Management ...................................................... 83
,Chapter 01: Ethics and Professionalism
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Beemsterboer: Ethics and Law in Dental Hygiene, 3rd Edition xz xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
MULTIPLE CHOICE xz
1. When was the inception of the profession of dental hygiene?
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a. In ancient Greece xz xz
b. In the early 1800s xz xz xz
c. In the early 1900s xz xz xz
d. In 1979 xz
ANS: C xz
The scope of practice of a dental hygienist was first established by law in Connecticut in 1915
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. Alfred C. Fones taught his dental assistant, Irene Newman, to treat patients and to teach them t
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o maintain their mouths in a clean state. In 1913, Fones established the first school for dental
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hygienists in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The first oath written for dental hygienists called upon A
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pollo and Hygeia, who were the Greek god and goddess of health, respectively. A modernized
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version of the first oath was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the American Dental Hygien
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ists’ Association (ADHA) in 1979.
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DIF: Recall REF: p. 3 OBJ: 1 x z xz xz
TOP: 7.0 Professional Responsibility | 7.1 Ethical Principles, including informed consent
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2. Which member of the dental team is the primary oral preventive therapist?
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a. Dentist
b. Dental hygienist xz
c. Dental assistant xz
d. Receptionist
ANS: B x z
The dental hygienist is the oral preventive therapist in the dental office. The dentists who pion
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eered this special field of endeavor had a vision of the day when dental disease could be preve
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nted by following a system of treatment and cleanliness. The dentist is primarily concerned wi
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th restorative treatment, although he or she also shares in preventing oral disease. The dental ass
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istant assists the dentist and may assist the dental hygienist as well. The receptionist greets pati
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ents and may help with the business and financial aspects of the practice.
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DIF: Recall REF: p. 4 OBJ: 1 x z xz xz
TOP: 7.0 Professional Responsibility | 7.4 General
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3. The dental hygiene oath is revised by action of which of the following professional
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organizations?
a. The American Dental Association (ADA) xz xz xz xz
b. The American Dental Hygienists’Association (ADHA)
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c. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
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d. The Organization for Safety, Asepsis, and Prevention (OSAP)
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e. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) xz xz xz xz xz
ANS: B xz
, The first dental hygiene oath was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the American Dental H
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ygienists’ Association (ADHA) in 1979 and is still in use today. The oath may be seen at the foll
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owing website (www.adha.org/aboutadha/dhoath.htm). The American Dental Association has
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an oath for dentists. A copy of each oath may be found in the textbook.
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DIF: Recall REF: p. 3 OBJ: 1 x z xz xz
TOP: 7.0 Professional Responsibility | 7.4 General
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4. Success is measured by financial gain in the corporate world; however, for the health care p
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rofessional the patient’s welfare is placed above profit.
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a. Both the statement and reason are correct and related.
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b. Both the statement and reason are correct but NOT related.
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c. The statement is correct, but the reason is NOT.
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d. The statement is NOT correct, but the reason is correct.
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e. NEITHER the statement NOR the reason is correct. xz xz xz xz xz xz xz
ANS: A xz
Because the welfare of the patient is more important than profit, society has granted the health
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care professional a certain status that carries prestige, power, and the right to apply special kno
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wledge and skills. xz xz
DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 4 x z xz
OBJ: 2 TOP: 7.0 Professional Responsibility | 7.4 General
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5. Society recognizes that health care providers are held to a higher standard than legislative
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mandate. These higher standards are expressed in professional codes of ethics and are enf
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orced by the legal system.
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a. Both statements are true. xz xz xz
b. Both statements are false. xz xz xz
c. The first statement is true, the second statement is false.
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d. The first statement is false, the second statement is true.
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ANS: C xz
Health care providers are held to a higher standard than can be expressed exclusively by legisl
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ative mandate. While it is true that these higher standards are expressed in professional codes
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of ethics, they are enforced by those within the profession rather than by the legal system. Imp
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ortant components of this enforcement include self-regulation and submission to peer review.
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DIF: Comprehension REF: p. 4 x z xz
OBJ: 1 TOP: 7.0 Professional Responsibility | 7.4 General
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6. Which of the following is regarded as the most important aspect of the delivery of health care
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services?
a. Technical skill xz
b. Appropriate knowledge xz
c. Critical judgment xz
d. Caring
ANS: D xz