Question

DENTAL HYGIENE QUESTIONS**********

Ethics Questions

Scenario 1- Mr. Sands, a patient returning for his regular maintenance appointment is scheduled with jenny, one of the two dental hygienists available that day; one of the two dental hygienists available that day. Mr. Sands has a history of hepatitis C. When Jenny reviewed the history prior to seating the patient, she immediately makes up an excuse and asks Marilyn, the other hygienist, to treat this patient while she attends to two children in a different treatment room.

1. Which of the core values are being violated in scenario 1? Explain

Scenario 2 - After Mr. Green’s dental hygiene treatment is completed, the dentist, Dr. Root, is notified so that the final exam can be made. Dr. Root comes in shortly and sits down next to the patient. He browses through the notations made in the patient’s chart and then picks up the mirror and explorer to proceed with a clinical exam. It is apparent that he has not washed his hands, or put on a new pair of gloves. This situation has happened occasionally before.

2. How is beneficence for this patient threatened?

Scenario 3 – The current protocol in Dr. Grains offices utilizes a medical history form that is slightly larger than a postcard to gather all the patient data. As a fairly recent dental hygiene graduate, the inadequacy of the questions on the history form has bothered Hanna. Hanna, who practices there full-time, has brought up this issue with Dr. Grain personally and also at a recent staff meeting. Hanna stated “ there are no questions on the health history about HIV or AID’s, and there are no questions about Diabetes. How do we protect ourselves and the patients if we don’t ask the right questions”?

Dr. Grain has been practicing for 30 years with a perfect record free of violations or lawsuits and boldly states this fact to the entire dental team. Hanna feels she has hit a major roadblock and ponders keeping a separate more thorough history form on each patient in her own treatment room.

3. How is beneficence of the patients she treats being compromised by Dr. Grain’s reluctance to change to a more comprehensive history taking protocol?

Scenario 4 – Everyone was rushing around the office trying to finish in time for lunch. Dr. Smith asked the hygienist, Jane to take 4 x-rays and develop them before she leaves for lunch. This will cut into Jane’s lunch hour and she is very agitated. The patient, Mrs Lattock has an exaggerated gag reflex and begins to gag severely and pushes the xray out of her mouth. Jane forcefully holds the x-ray in place while Mrs. Lattock continues to gag, and the assistant pushes the button to take the x-ray.

4. By Jane forcefully holding the x-ray in Mrs. Lattocks mouth while she gagged repeatedly, where her patients rights violated? Why or Why not.

Explain

5. Which of the core values can be attributed to this case?

Answer 1

1)Dental hygienists are a medical persons who are supposed to care for the patients in the most basic procedure under the supervision or guidance of a dentist. The hygienist core value is to treat all type of patients irrespective of any medical conditions unless it will harm the patients life.The dental hygienist have violated the autonomy and respect of the patient,justice or fairness in treatment, has broken societal trust ,beneficience ,responsibility and service mindedness