Work of other dentists / relationships

Question 1

bad outcome vs bad work

Answer 1

1) always start from standard of care
2) patient needs to be informed of their current oral health status
3) bad outcome
- failed to accomplish a benefit to the patient or involves harm or risk to the patient
- but not the result of bad work
- you can have bad outcome even with good work under SOC
4) bad work
- legal negligence
- poorly done or a mistake

Question 2

gross or continual faulty treatment

Answer 2

1) will it continue in the future?
2) dentist needs to report to agency the gross or continual treatment of other dentists

Question 3

isolated technical errors

Answer 3

1) approach case by case
2) consider objective evidence
3) looking the other way might jeopardize your own professional training

Question 4

substance abuse

Answer 4

1) unethical to be practicing while abusing substances
2) you must report such cases
3) refer them to help if there is no harm done
- interfere but document this somewhere

Question 5

dual relationships

Answer 5

1) family
2) friends and colleague
3) people we date
- unethical
4) 3rd party influence
—
this is an additional relationship to the patient - doctor relationship

Question 6

is it ever acceptable to date a patient?

Answer 6

1) NO for current patients
2) yes for 6mo - 1 year after stopped being a patient
- except if they are likely to seek additional treatment from you after this period
3) exception is “pre-existing relationships”

Question 7

American medical association code

Answer 7

1) in general, physicians should not treat their family
- emergency and isolated settings are ok
2) no such code for dentists, but it is useful

Question 8

gifts

Answer 8

1) create a secondary relationship
- non lasting value (flowers)
- proper (red roses…?)
2) you can accept it and share the gift with the team if its not problematic