Dental Jurisprudence, Ethics, and Scope of Practice
Scope and delegation
Every jurisdiction defines what an RDA may do, and the examination expects you to know that the dentist owns diagnosis, treatment planning and overall responsibility. Supervision levels are direct (dentist physically present), indirect (dentist in the office, patient present) and general (dentist authorizes but is absent). Which level applies to coronal polishing, sealants, radiographs or expanded functions such as placing a final restoration or monitoring nitrous oxide is state-specific. If a scenario describes a task not permitted where you practice, the right answer is to decline and refer to the dentist.
Ethical principles
Know autonomy (the patient's right to decide), beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, veracity and confidentiality. Informed consent requires capacity, disclosure of risks and alternatives, comprehension and voluntariness; for a minor it comes from the guardian. HIPAA governs protected health information, and minimum-necessary disclosure is the practical rule. Malpractice requires four elements: a duty, a breach of the standard of care, causation, and damages.
Traps and gray areas
Candidates confuse "expanded function" with "permitted" - the duty map is jurisdiction-specific. Assisting staff may not diagnose, prescribe, or guarantee outcomes. Mandatory reporting of child, elder or dependent-adult abuse is a legal duty that overrides confidentiality. Corrections to a record are made with a single line, date, initials and a brief reason - never obliterating the original entry.
Rule of thumb: when unsure, the RDA prepares, retracts, isolates and supports; the dentist diagnoses, prescribes and performs irreversible procedures.