Professional Conduct, Ethics, and Unprofessional Conduct
Grounds for discipline
Michigan's Public Health Code lists grounds for disciplinary action, including fraud or deceit in obtaining a license, negligence, incompetence, practicing outside the scope of practice, failure to maintain adequate records, improper delegation, substance abuse, criminal conviction, and unprofessional conduct. The Board may also act on a violation of the dental practice rules, such as infection control failures.
Ethics in practice
Professional conduct requires honesty, competence, patient autonomy, and respect for boundaries. A hygienist should not exploit a patient relationship for personal gain, engage in sexual misconduct, abandon a patient without notice, or practice while impaired. Suspected impairment or misconduct should be reported through the appropriate channel; the Board's complaint process is one route.
Worked example
A hygienist posts a photo of a patient's teeth on social media with a caption that includes the patient's name. Even if the patient liked the post, the disclosure of protected health information and the breach of confidentiality can support discipline. The better practice is to obtain a specific written authorization or omit identifying details.
Traps
Do not assume that conduct is permissible because it is not criminal. A single act of negligence can be unprofessional conduct. Do not confuse a malpractice claim with a Board complaint; both can proceed independently. Do not ignore a colleague's impairment because you are not the supervisor.