Ethical Issues in Dentistry

Ethics in Dentistry

Dr. Bill Myers

Phone: 226-4868

Fall, 2008

TTH 9:00-12:00, Rm 501

Objectives:

The primary objective of this course is to enable you to raise and to address ethical issues related to the delivery and management of dental care and research. In recent years, practitioners in the health care professions have been called upon to evaluate more carefully their roles as decision makers and to evaluate their decisions from an ethical perspective. Both the popular and professional journals have given much space to the ethical problems related to health care. While it is surely not the case that making ethical decisions is the exclusive domain of the philosopher, it is an assumption of this course that philosophy with its long history of the discussion of ethical problems can make some contribution to the issues at hand. In order to develop skills in this area, we will examine some of the classical theories in philosophical ethics as well as commentators on the more specifically designed area of health care ethics and management.

This course addresses competency one from the competency manual: Graduates must be competent in managing ethical issues related to the practice of dentistry. It also addresses of competency four: Graduates must be competent to independently evaluate research findings as they relate to patient care and must be competent in applying critical thinking skills.

Required Text:

Medical Ethics: Contemporary Issues in Bioethics and Managerial Ethics. Custom textbook from Cengage Publishing, available at the UAB Bookstore. And case studies linked to the syllabus web page (see below).

Methods and Structure:

Our classes will be a blend of lecture, discussion, and cases studies. As a community of inquiry, we will be learning from one another. As such, it is imperative that for each meeting, you read carefully the materials assigned for that day. This kind of course only works when all are prepared.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. A written take home exam covering the unit on ethical theory. The exam will be due by July 15 at our regular class meeting. It should be submitted electronically (wtm@uab.edu) before class meets on the 15^th. More details forthcoming.

2. A three to four page formal paper on a topic of interest. More information will be given at the time the assignment is made. Check out the handout on writing a philosophy paper.

3. A final exam will be given on Wednesday, August 13 from 3-5, location to be announced. The final exam will consist largely of case study analyses. More information to follow.

4. Your informed participation is assumed. You are expected to have read carefully the materials for the week. I will have no hesitancy in calling on anyone, whether a hand is raised or not. Each student is expected to attend all of the class meetings and to be an active participant in those meetings. Excessive absences will result in failure in the course. We have only 10 regular meetings this term. After two absences, there will be a one letter grade penalty assessed on the final grade. Three or more absences will result in failing the course.

GRADING:

The first exam will count for twenty percent, the second exam and the paper will each count for thirty-five percent of your final grade. Your engaged participation and general attendance will count for the other ten percent.

Tentative Schedule of Classes

1. July 8: Introduction to the Course: Some introductory discussion of ethical theory

2. July 10: Ethical theory, continued.

Reading: Chapter 1 pp. 1-34

Cases: “How Much Do We Owe” and “The Shady Patient”

Issues in Health Care Ethics

3. July 15: Professionalism in Dentistry: Profession or craft?

Reading: “Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct.”

Cases: “Turn and Burn!” and “Gimme the Cheapest

” and “Three Dilemmas”

4. July 17: Autonomy, Informed Consent, and Refusal of Treatment

Reading: 160-184