Document Detail


Ethical dilemmas confronting dentists in Queensland, Australia.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  12405465     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: This paper details contemporary ethical dilemmas encountered by Queensland dentists. METHODS: An age-stratified sample of 499 dentists resident in Queensland was surveyed. The questionnaire contained scenarios of five common ethical dilemmas. In addition, open-ended questions sought the respondent's most frequent, difficult and recent ethical dilemmas, and where they would seek guidance in dealing with ethical problems. RESULTS: Respondents acknowledged the patient's rights in treatment decisions and the dentist's right to refuse demands for inappropriate treatment. However, responses varied in the extent to which dentists may influence treatment decisions. Few respondents would ignore evidence of poor dental treatment but they are evenly divided in choosing to inform the patient, the dentist or both. Poor quality treatment is the most frequent and difficult dilemma, and half have experienced this problem recently. Requests by patients for fraudulent receipts occur in a third of responses. Dentists develop ethical values from multiple sources but for help with dental ethical problems, 90 per cent of respondents would consult another dentist. CONCLUSIONS: Of the ethical dilemmas discussed in this survey, those relating to poor quality treatment confronted most respondents. Also the actions of dentists in dealing with these dilemmas were most varied.
Authors:
S A T Porter; W L Grey
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Australian dental journal     Volume:  47     ISSN:  0045-0421     ISO Abbreviation:  Aust Dent J     Publication Date:  2002 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2002-10-30     Completed Date:  2003-01-21     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0370612     Medline TA:  Aust Dent J     Country:  Australia    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  241-8     Citation Subset:  D; E; IM    
Affiliation:
School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. suzette.porter@mailbox.uq.edu.au
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Analysis of Variance
Attitude of Health Personnel
Chi-Square Distribution
Decision Making
Dental Care / ethics
Dentist-Patient Relations / ethics
Dentists / ethics*
Ethics, Dental*
Female
Humans
Interprofessional Relations / ethics
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Rights / ethics
Personal Autonomy
Quality of Health Care / ethics
Queensland
Questionnaires
Refusal to Treat / ethics

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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