Professional practice, ethics and legislation
What this domain tests
This domain examines your ability to apply New Zealand law and professional standards in hygiene practice: scope, informed consent, privacy, and culturally safe care.
Core rules
- The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 gives the Dental Council authority to set standards and issue annual practising certificates; working without an APC is an offence.
- Your dental hygienist scope is defined by the Council. Recognise limits: referral or dentist input is required for diagnosis and treatment outside your scope.
- Right 7 of the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights requires informed consent: competence, adequate information, and freedom to choose. A signature alone is not consent.
- Privacy Act 2020 and the Health Information Privacy Code 2020 require minimum collection, secure storage, and limited disclosure.
- Cultural safety means reflecting on your own bias and power, supporting Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations, and offering whānau involvement when the patient wishes.
Worked example
A competent 15-year-old asks that her mother not be told about a scaling. Assess capacity to understand the procedure, risks and alternatives; if competent, she can consent and confidentiality should be respected, with documentation. Escalate only if a safeguarding concern arises.
Traps
Assuming a parent must always consent for a 15-year-old; treating consent as a form; discussing patients in shared spaces; using cultural stereotypes instead of asking.