Oral Medicine: Ethical Implications and Considerations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/Keywords:
histopathological, outweigh, perceivedAbstract
With the ever-increasing environmental exposures of the oral cavity to pathogens and potential carcinogens associated with habits (e.g. smoking, vaping, waterpipe, etc.) clinicians should remain vigilant in order to ensure the practice of ethical principles of care.1
Many Oral Health Care Workers (OHCW) – such as Dentists and Oral Hygienists – may experience uncertainty as to how to navigate the discussion when an oral presentation is noted that warrants further investigations. It is imperative that the OHCW remain objective, clear, concise and ensure dignity and truthfulness remain intact during these discussions with the patient. The predicament that may
present is how can the OHCW motivate a patient for referral for special investigations (such as histopathological assessment), without offering the patient a diagnosis, instilling excessive fear or insufficient urgency to act.
Downloads
References
1. Health Professions Council of South Africa. National Patients’ Rights Charter. Booklet 3. Professional Conduct & Ethics [Internet] 2023 [cited 3 May 2025] Available from: blob:https://www.hpcsa.co.za/68aef3a9-3dd5-482a-8e4d-80879385eb3a.
2. Health Professions Council of South Africa. General ethical guidelines for the healthcare professions. Booklet 1 [Internet] [cited 3 May 2025]. Available from: blob:https://www.hpcsa.co.za/50e0ab1c-cad0-4226-8eda-3aa628805aee.
3. Diamanti N, Duxbury A, Ariyaratnam S. et al. Attitudes to biopsy procedures in general dental practice. Br Dent J. 2022; 192, 588–92. https://doi.org/10.1038/ sj.bdj.4801434.
4. Chitneni P, Beksinska M, Dietrich JJ. et al. Partner notification and treatment outcomes among South African adolescents and young adults diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection via laboratory-based screening. Int J STD AIDS. 2020; 31(7): 627-36.
5. Health Professions Council of South Africa. Confidentiality: protecting and providing information Booklet 5 [Internet] [2021] [cited 3 May 2025] blob:https://www.hpcsa. co.za/aaacdee8-f795-4f3b-be7f-9476dd31893d.
6. Voinescu I, Ferechide D, Cristache C. et al. Ethical and legal aspects in periodontal disease diagnosis and therapy. Rom J Leg Med. 2019; 27(1):57-64. DOI: 10.4323/ rjlm.2019.57.
7. Health Professions Council of South Africa. Guidelines on the keeping of patient health records. Booklet 9. [2022] [cited 3 May 2025] blob:https://www.hpcsa.co.za/ a97562e6-6afc-4a3e-873e-12cc647aa163.
8. Naidoo S. Dental ethics case 20. Suspected malignancy: to tell or not to tell the truth? SADJ. 2012; 67(3):134-5. https://www.dentalethics.org/wpcontent/ uploads/2023/01/ethics_handbook_for_dentists_2016.pdf.
9. Health Professions Council of South Africa. Health Professions Act, 1974. Regulations defining the scope of the Profession of Dentistry. Government Gazette No. 31958 R238/2009. [cited 3 May 2025] Available from: https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/
gcis_document/201409/ 319582389039.pdf. explanations. Med Princ Pract 2014; 23: 295-301.
28. Kassak KM, Dagher R and Doughan B. Oral hygiene and lifestyle correlates among new undergraduate university students in Lebanon. J Am Coll Health 2001; 50: 15-20.
29. Harris NO and Garcia-Godoy F. Primary preventive dentistry. 8th ed.: Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2014.
30. Clark-Perry D and Levin L. Comparison of new formulas of stannous fluoride toothpastes with other commercially available fluoridated toothpastes: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Int Dent J 2020; 70: 418-426.
31. 31. Tada A and Hanada N. Sexual differences in oral health behaviour and factors associated with oral health behaviour in Japanese young adults. Public Health 2004; 118: 104-
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
.png){kind=spacer}