Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Spring 2018 - 7

Editorial

Ethics in Our Profession
Dr. Jae Hyun Park
PCSO Bulletin Editor

The mission of the American College of Dentists
(ACD) is to advocate for excellence, ethics, professionalism, and leadership in dentistry. Since its
founding in 1920, the ACD has been critical in
identifying and responding to issues affecting
dentistry, oral health, and society. Last year, I was
selected for fellowship in the ACD and attended
the organization's 2017 Annual Meeting and Convocation. The meeting focused on ethical issues
in dentistry.
The ACD distributes its Ethics Handbook for Dentists to dental schools in the U.S. and Canada on a
yearly basis. Its intention is to "heighten ethical
and professional responsibility, promote ethical
conduct in dentistry, advance dialogue on ethical
issues, and stimulate further reflection on common ethical problems in dental practice."1
As a dentist, the handbook explains, one must be
a professional. A professional respects patients'
values and places their needs first. A professional
is committed to lifelong learning and development of character. A health professional observes
the needs of the community and strives to
respond accordingly. A dentist should be willing
to act as a public servant and to educate and
guide the public toward the goal of excellent oral
health.
Scientific literature provides the basis for care,
and professional research must be current and
ongoing in order to promote the advancement of
the dental field. Licensure ensures that a professional maintains a high standard of professional
conduct and education.
The American Dental Association (ADA) has
maintained a Code of Ethics since 1866. The code
of a professional dental organization should be
used as a guide to provide ethical, legal, and
moral boundaries to the delivery of patient care.
The handbook points out that all dentists have
an obligation to be a part of their professional
societies and to observe their ethical guidelines.
The ACD booklet goes on to describe in detail
some potential ethical dilemmas, including
abuse of prescriptions by patients, advertising,

Spring 2018  PCSO Bulletin

child abuse, confidentiality, social media, emergency care, and informed consent and refusal.
Decision models are included in order to help
professionals deal with ethical dilemmas. Finally,
the ACD test for ethical decision-making is as
follows:

 Assess: Is it true? Fair? Accurate? Quality?
Legal?
 Communicate: Have you listened? Informed
the patient? Explained outcomes? Presented
alternatives?
 Decide: Is now the best time? Is it within your
ability? Is it in the best interest of the patient?
Would you would want for yourself?
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)
has its Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional
Conduct, which mirrors the ACD regarding the
highest commitment to patient well-being.2 In
addition, the American Board of Orthodontics
(ABO) expects all board-certified orthodontists to
follow the ethical principles set by the ADA and
the AAO. Regardless of which ethical code of conduct one follows, the outcome should be the
same. As dental professionals, we are obligated
to advocate for our patients, educate them on
oral hygiene and treatment recommendations
and alternatives, and deliver the best treatment
based on current research and education. We
should familiarize ourselves with the prevailing
laws, regulations, and standards that affect our
decisions. 
Jae Hyun Park, DMD, MSD, MS, PhD
Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics;
Professor and Chair: Postgraduate Orthodontic
Program, Arizona School of Dentistry
& Oral Health (Mesa, AZ)
pcsoeditor@aaortho.org
References
1. American College of Dentists. Ethics Handbook for
Dentists. At: https://www.acd.org/ethicshandbook.htm.
Accessed on December 8, 2017.
2. American Association of Orthodontists. Principles
of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct. At:
https://www.aaoinfo.org/sites/default/files/Principles_
of_Ethics_and_Code_of_Professional_Conduct.pdf.
Accessed on December 8, 2017.

https://www.acd.org/ethicshandbook.htm https://www.aaoinfo.org/sites/default/files/Principles_of_Ethics_and_Code_of_Professional_Conduct.pdf https://www.aaoinfo.org/sites/default/files/Principles_of_Ethics_and_Code_of_Professional_Conduct.pdf

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Spring 2018