We’re entering an exciting new era in dentistry when technology keeps getting better and better and we can offer so many more options to our patients.
With more choices to be made, Ethical Dentistry, which focuses on the autonomy of the patient, becomes even more important. Following the principles of Ethical Dentistry, if you were my patient, I’d say: “These are your options”, rather than being paternalistic and saying: “I wouldn’t do that to my daughter.”
We spend a lot longer in consultation these days and with the introduction of new treatment options, such as CEREC (a unique CAD/CAM system which can provide all ceramic restorations in a single appointment) we can show patients exactly how their teeth will look both pre and post-treatment.
Also, we’ve seen a huge surge in demand for cosmetic dentistry. As the kind of braces available has improved, with options like Fast Braces, CFast and the Damon Appliance, these next generation braces are tempting more and more people to begin wearing a brace well into adulthood. Traditionally, orthodontic treatments were for children, but these days 60% of our patients come here to align their teeth and our oldest patient is 83.
As patients have become more interested in braces, we’ve seen a huge rise in the number of dentists providing orthodontics. The alternative was a more destructive process, offering crowns or veneers for a faster cosmetic improvement. In Ethical Dentistry, if a patient comes to me wanting a more old-fashioned treatment that’s more destructive to their teeth, I’d take the time to talk them through all the latest treatment options. Of course I wouldn’t tell them what to do – instead I’d outline the pros and cons of the different options. I wouldn’t provide a treatment that I thought would do harm to the patient, but I’d always take the time to listen to their desires and concerns.
The central principles I adhere to are Self Determination (respecting my patient’s autonomy), Beneficence (‘Do Good’, the dentist’s duty to promote the patient’s welfare), the principle of Non-malfeasance (first and foremost, do no harm!) and Justice to the patient – providing information in a professional, educated manner and respecting them as individuals.
I have practised as a dentist for 23 years, always guided by these core principles. All dentists have a responsibility to think about the consequences of the treatment we provide, respecting the autonomy of our patients. It’s also crucial that we provide dentistry in a really caring environment.
It’s a particularly exciting time to be a dentist, with innovative new treatment options becoming available for patients. For example, you could take a scan of your smile at 18, thenwalk back into the dental clinic at 45. We could look at your original scan and take you back to the smile you had in your youth.
You may want to recreate your own optimum smile, or perhaps you’d choose a celebrity smile like Beyoncé’s from the Smile Bank – the options are virtually endless. Returning to the theme of Ethical Dentistry, one of the key responsibilities is to offer our patients the very best treatment for them, staying abreast of all the latest options. Of course this isn’t always possible with NHS dental treatments, where access to various treatments is restricted. We can overcome the challenge of making the best possible dental treatments accessible to as many people as possible by offering payment plans for orthodontic treatments, for example. By making treatments affordable, we make them much more accessible. Then, as we’ve seen with braces, demand soon spirals!
In brief, a good, ethical dentist will respect your autonomy, rather than having a paternalistic view of dentistry. They’ll understand that communicating with you to ensure that they understand exactly what you want before embarking on treatment is vital and they’ll be educated and will respect your wishes. Let’s hear it for the modern, ethical dentist!
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