Plato argues by analogy that a leader is someone that must act in the best interest of her subjects in The Republic. He says a ship captain takes care of her crew, a farmer of her sheep, and a doctor of her patients. In this article, we will look at the claim that the first…
Tag: professional ethics
Disclosing Office Financials to Employees
In the Ethical Moment feature “Ethical issues when a dentist with an active practice dies,” Dr. Jill M. Burns, referencing the ADA code of ethics, suggested that dentists are obligated to inform staff of practice debt due to the “ethical obligation to ‘provide a workplace environment that supports respectful and collaborative relationships for all those…
Refusal of Service: The Need for Replacing the Private Practice Model in Dentistry
Introduction The inequitable distribution of professional dental care is a major concern facing the field of dentistry. Of course, dental institutions such as the American Dental Association and dental schools are clearly aware of this issue. There is conflict, however, between the private practice model and the oral health needs of the U.S. population. The…
Must Dentists Uphold the Hippocratic Oath?
Hippocratic Oath Some version of the Hippocratic Oath is taken by dental students at the start of dental school. The original version made a promise to Apollo never to ever do surgery, so dental schools have adopted updated versions. However, there is no standardized oath. It would be overwhelming to discuss each version individually in…
Deriving Professional Obligations of Dentists From the Principle of Do No Harm
Is Dentistry a Profession or a Business? Throughout dental school, students are asked whether dentistry is a profession or a business. No harm in asking. It is clear to some that dentistry is just a business. Like car mechanics, dentists sell services to people. A patient has trouble with a tooth. The dentist inspects the…