Dental ethics and Law Guiding Dental Practice

Dental ethics and Law Guiding Dental Practice. It is a moral principles that control or influence a person's behavior.In addition to these obligations upon dentists there is a code of ethics which every Dental nurses must obey.

Dental ethics and Law Guiding Dental Practice

Although the duties of a Dental nurse or Dentist vary from practice to practice, according to its size and number of staff employed, they may be classified under the headings of surgery and office duties.

  To perform this efficiently, Dental nursing must possess certain personal qualities and knowledge of the law and dental ethics.

Personal Qualities

The dental nurse is usually the first person to receive a patient in dental. This is an important occasion as the patient's confidence in the practice may well be influenced by the appearance and manner of dental nurse.

Appearance

He or she should smartly without going to extremes of fashion. Attention to personal hygiene is essential, not only as it affects appearance but also to ensure good results and prevent infection in surgery.

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Personality

 A calm and courteous manner, combined with a cheerful disposition, is an obvious necessity when dealing with anxious patients. It will allow her to keep cool under all conditions and cope with any emergency which may arise. Handling patients in a busy practice can be very trying and requires much patients and tact.

Speech

The voice must be calm to inspire confidence, and clear enough to be understood on the telephone. Instruction to patient's should  be given in simple language to avoid misunderstanding. 

Concentration

This requires an alert mind and attention to detail. Mistake must not be made in patients records,appointment, telephone, message, assisting with treatment or dealing with Emergencies.

Punctuality 

Smooth running of a busy practice depends on the staff running and patients keeping appointments in time. Dental nurse must set an example by strict punctuality on duty.

Dental ethics

What is ethics?

It is a moral principles that control or influence a person's behavior or the branch of philosophy that deals with moral principles. In addition to these obligations upon dentists there is a code of ethics which every Dental nurses must obey.

1. He or she must be honest and loyal and serve her employer and his or her patient to the best of his or her ability.
2. He or she must hold in strict confidence all details of professional services rendered by his or her employer.
3. He or she must not make disparaging remarks about the conduct of the profession, or of his or her employer's treatment of patients. He or she should not talk against the progress of the profession.

Law Guiding Dental Practice

This is the important function of the general dental council is to maintain high standards of professional conduct amongst Dentists, Therapist, Technician and auxiliaries. Any one found guilty of a criminal offense or unprofessional conduct is liable to be moved from the register kept by the council and thereby legally forbidden to practice. Although this does not apply to dental nurse. Dentist may be responsible for any acts or omissions of their staff because he is the captain of the team. It is therefore necessary for dental nurse to know of the legal and ethical obligation in dental practice.

  Any of the dental team found guilty of the underlisted is liable to have his name erased from the register.

1. Covering: only those registered with general and dental council may provide dental treatment.dentist must not allow a dental nurse to do dental work which is not permitted by the law.
2. Abuse of drugs:

This include

1. Drunkenness and misuse of drugs.
2. There are strict legal rules for dentists relating to the purchase, storage prescription and use of dengerous drugs.
3. Dentist must not abuse the previleges conferred upon them under the law. Dental nurse must strictly obey the dentist's instruction on the care and use of drugs.

Fulse certificate

1. A dentist must never sign, or allow a dental nurse to sign or induce a patient to sign, ant untrue or improper document or certificate. This include false certificate and improperly seeking fees under the national health services acts.

Advertising and Canvassing

1. A dentist must not advertise or canvass to obtain patient or promote their own professional advantage nor must this be done by a dental nurse or other person on behalf of the dentist
2. Advertisement of staff vacancies in newspaper must not include the name address and profession of the dentist. They may include only profession of the dentist. They may include only his name and address, or his address and profession.