Dental Ethics and Professional Conduct
What this domain tests
The Dental Council Code of Practice on Professional Behaviour and Ethical Conduct frames this domain. It tests whether you put patients first, communicate honestly, obtain valid consent, protect confidentiality and manage conflicts of interest.
Core rules and concepts
- Informed consent requires capacity, sufficient information and voluntariness. Discuss material risks, alternatives, costs and the option of no treatment; record the discussion.
- Confidentiality is a professional duty and a data-protection obligation. Disclose only with consent, where required by law, or where necessary to prevent serious harm; share minimum information.
- Be honest in records, billing and advertising. Never falsify a record, backdate an entry or claim a qualification you do not hold.
- Recognise and manage conflicts of interest, including financial incentives and personal relationships.
- Use open disclosure when something goes wrong: acknowledge, explain, apologise where appropriate and document.
Worked example
A patient asks you not to tell her adult daughter that a suspicious oral lesion has been found. You explain that confidentiality applies, but you will share information with the daughter only with her consent unless there is a legal or serious-harm justification. You advise urgent referral, document the refusal of consent to disclose, and ensure the patient understands the referral pathway. You do not discuss the case in a public area or on social media.
Traps that cost marks
Discussing identifiable patients in corridors or online; assuming a family member may be told; accepting consent from someone without capacity; letting a fee target drive treatment recommendations; failing to document a patient's refusal; using misleading titles or testimonials.