Ethics and dentistry

Ethics and dentistry

Educational objectives:

• Define the different concepts of ethics.
• Know the principles of medical ethics.

Plan :

1. Introduction.
2. Definitions:
   1. Morality. II-2- Ethics.

II-3- Medical ethics. II-4- Bioethics.

II-5- Ethics.

3. The principles of medical ethics.
4. Who decides what is ethical?
5. Conclusion.
6. Introduction :

• The code of medical ethics, health law and the ethical concepts of Hippocrates:

• Aim to guarantee and strengthen the rights of sick people and users of the health system.
• Give the patient real decision-making power.
• The provisions of these ethical, deontological and legal principles attempt to re-establish relationships of trust between doctors and patients by emphasizing:

• The right to confidentiality,
• Respect for human dignity,
• The truth due to the patient.

• These are timeless, universal values ​​that do not depend on circumstances.
• The “medical society” is no different from the rest of society; it therefore needs a certain number of rules for its functioning to allow it to organize itself. These rules are: social (Law), corporatist (ethics), professional (ethics) and personal (morality).

2. Definitions:
   1. The moral:
      • The term “morality” means the set of rules, actions and values ​​that function as norms in a society.
      • Morality refers to a set of values ​​and principles that allow us to differentiate good from evil, just from unjust, acceptable from unacceptable, and to which we should conform.
      • These principles vary depending on culture, beliefs, living conditions and the needs of society.
      • They often originate from what is positive for the survival of the ethnic group, the people, the society.
      • Some authors distinguish it from the term ethics and others consider it synonymous.
   2. Ethics:
      • Etymologically it comes from the Greek “ETHOS” which means way of being and behaving according to customs.
      • Ethics is the science and study of morality valid for a social group and at a given time….
      • It is not a set of values ​​or principles in particular. Rather, it is a reasoned reflection with a view to doing good. It proposes to question the moral values ​​and moral principles that should guide our actions, in different situations, with the aim of acting in accordance with them.
      • Ethics is about right and wrong behavior, what one should do and what one should not do.
   3. Medical ethics:
      • The part of ethics devoted to moral questions relating to medical practice.
      • He is primarily interested in issues raised by the practice of medicine.
      • It refers to the human values ​​that must condition the action of the dentist. It thus defines medical behavior, and its purpose is the common good and the good medical care of the patient.
   4. Bioethics:
      • It is a reflection on the progress of research in the fields of biology, medicine and health.
      • Article 354 of Law No. 18-11 of 02/07/2018 relating to health (LRS) defines bioethics as being “all measures linked to activities relating to:

• In the transplantation and grafting of organs, tissues and cells,
• On the donation and use of human blood and its derivatives,
• To medically assisted procreation,
• And to biomedical research.”

5. Ethics:
   • It simply means ethics applied to a professional field. It brings together all the rules that govern the exercise of a professional function.
   • It is a discipline whose object is the study of standards of professional behavior specific to health professions.
   • It is most often expressed through a “professional code”, which, in dental medicine, is the statement of rules of good conduct towards patients, families, colleagues, collaborators and society (it is the code of medical ethics).
6. Principles of medical ethics:
   1. Respect for human dignity:
      • Patients should be treated with respect and dignity throughout the care process.
      • This includes respect for their physical and psychological integrity, as well as respect for their private and family life.
   2. Justice, equity and non-discrimination :
      • The principle of justice states that patients in similar situations should have access to the same care.
      • Patients must be treated fairly, without distinction as to race, religion, national origin, political or social affiliation, or other similar criteria.
      • Article 7 of the Code of Medical Ethics states: “The vocation of the physician and the dental surgeon is to defend the physical and mental health of man and to relieve suffering while respecting the life and dignity of the human person without discrimination of sex, age, race, religion, nationality, condition

social, political ideology or any other reason, in times of peace as in times of war.”

3. 3- Respect for patient autonomy:
   • Autonomy refers to the ability to think, decide and act freely on one’s own initiative.
   • Every person has the right to make decisions that concern them, starting with the right to accept or refuse the treatment that is offered to them. From this principle arises the

duty to inform the patient and obtain his or her consent, a duty which is explicitly stated in Articles 43 and 44 of the Code of Ethics, Article 343 of the Health Act and the WMA (World Medical Association) Declaration on the Rights of the Patient.

3. 4-respect for the decision-making process: Information and consent to care:
   • The law emphasizes the patient’s right to receive clear, fair, complete, intelligible, approximate and continuous information before any medical act with a view to informed consent.
   • Everyone has the right to be informed about their state of health except in two situations (article 344 of the law on health):

• The first concerns the urgency or the impossibility of informing which exempts the professional from this obligation.
• The second concerns the patient’s own desire not to be informed.
• The information must relate to:

• The various investigations, treatments and preventive actions that are proposed;
• The content of the acts envisaged: their usefulness, their possible urgency;
• The frequent or serious risks that they normally involve;
• Other possible solutions and the foreseeable consequences in the event of refusal.

• Informing the patient is the first step in obtaining consent.
• The patient capable of discernment decides on the course of, interruption or renunciation of a proposed medical measure, after having been fully and appropriately informed (free and informed consent).

3. 5- Medical confidentiality:
   • The patient confides his secrets with the certainty that they will not be betrayed, that the

The doctor will not reveal them to third parties, even after his death, this is the basis of the doctor-patient relationship.

6. Compassion:
   • It is defined as understanding and sensitivity to the suffering of others, is essential to the practice of medicine.
   • To treat the patient’s problems, the physician must recognize the symptoms and their underlying causes and be willing to help the patient achieve relief.
   • Patients respond better to treatment if they feel that the doctor is sensitive to their problem and is treating them as a person rather than just their illness.
7. Charity:
   • It is the promotion of what is most beneficial for the patient.
   • The general moral principle of doing good to others is brought to the forefront because it is a caring professional relationship.
   • The definition of what is “most beneficial” may be based on the judgment of the health care professional or on what the patient desires; usually, these two opinions agree.
8. Non-malice:
   • Avoid causing harm; most treatments carry some degree of risk or side effects; so this principle reminds us to think about possible harm, especially when the patient cannot be cured.
   • A therapy is only justified if its initiation and its effects are “proportionate” to the good that the patient will gain from it. In other words, the benefits expected for the patient must be proportionate to the aggressiveness of the treatment.
9. The skill:
   • The obligation of physicians to provide attentive, conscientious care in accordance with acquired and current scientific data.
   • Competence is both expected and required of physicians.
   • Lack of skill can have serious consequences or even lead to death.
   • For this, doctors receive extensive training, designed to provide them with a level of scientific knowledge and technical skills, as well as ethical knowledge, skills and behavior.
10. Who decides what is ethical? (Article 342 of the Health Act):
    • In Algeria, Law 18-11 of July 2, 2018 relating to health sets out the general provisions relating to medical ethics in Title VII by creating “the national council for ethics in health sciences”.
    • It is based in Algiers and is composed of the following members:

• A representative of the Minister of National Defense;
• A representative of the Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals;
• A representative of the Minister of Health, Population and Hospital Reform;
• A representative of the Minister responsible for labour, employment and social security;
• Two (2) representatives of the Minister responsible for higher education and scientific research;
• Nineteen (19) university hospital professors appointed by the Minister responsible for health.
• Five (5) medical health practitioners designated by the Minister responsible for health.
• A representative of the Islamic Higher Council.
• A representative of the National Council of Medical Ethics.

• Among the main missions of the council are the supervision of ethical aspects linked to the development of health activities, particularly in the area of ​​grafting and transplantation of organs, tissues and cells, as well as clinical trials and scientific research.
• This council may be contacted by any natural or legal person for any question posing an ethical problem and falling within the scope of its mission.

5. Conclusion :
   • The medical act or care provided by health professionals must:

• Comply with the requirements of the law.
• Follow the ethical principles of the profession.
• And be in compliance with the ethical values ​​of the profession.
• This essential triangulation makes it possible to provide the moral and human problems posed by medical practice with a set of responses that can guide medical conduct according to principles acceptable to the dignity and freedom of the individual .

Ethics and dentistry

  Untreated cavities can lead to tooth loss.
Dental veneers restore a harmonious smile in just a few sessions.
Misaligned teeth can cause joint pain.
Dental implants are fixed into the bone for optimal stability.
Chlorhexidine mouthwashes treat gum infections.
Damaged baby teeth can affect speech and chewing.
A toothbrush replaced every three months ensures effective hygiene.
 

Ethics and dentistry