Professional Ethics
Professional Ethics
This domain tests ethical reasoning in real hygiene practice: autonomy, informed consent, confidentiality, boundaries, and professional integrity. Questions often present a conflict between patient preference and clinician recommendation.
Core rules
- Autonomy: competent patients decide; consent must be voluntary, informed, and documented. Patients may refuse or withdraw consent at any time.
- Beneficence and nonmaleficence: act for benefit and avoid harm; do not provide futile or contraindicated care.
- Veracity: be truthful about findings, fees, and prognosis. Justice: fair access and nondiscrimination.
- Confidentiality: protect protected health information; exceptions include suspected abuse, court orders, and serious threats. Minors and dependent adults require special handling.
- Scope of practice and referral: recognize when a condition exceeds hygiene scope; do not diagnose beyond training.
- Conflicts of interest and impairment must be disclosed and managed.
Worked example
A patient refuses bitewing radiographs despite clear caries risk. The hygienist explains the rationale, documents the refusal, offers alternatives, and continues care within consent. Reasoning: autonomy permits refusal after informed discussion; the clinician’s duty is disclosure and documentation, not coercion.
Traps
- Obtaining “consent” by signing without explaining risks and alternatives.
- Discussing a patient in a public area or on social media.
- Treating a suspicious lesion without referral.
- Continuing treatment after consent is withdrawn.
- Letting financial incentives drive unnecessary treatment.