My personal philosophy of practice aligns with that which is outlined by the Canadian Dental Hygienists’ Association Code of Ethics.(1)
- Beneficence refers to a continued desire to do good for the world. Through health promotion and education, perhaps one day even the world population can improve their health.
- The minimization of harm through the principle of non-maleficence aids in ethical decision-making as dilemmas may present in various settings.(2)
- Clients will always be included in treatment discussions to ensure autonomy.(1) Informed consent or refusal is imperative in documenting understanding, which is paramount in delivering dental hygiene knowledge and improving health literacy.
- As a healthcare provider, it is important to maintain integrity. All standards and protocols will be followed, as documented by the College of Dental Hygienists of British Columbia.(3)
- An empathetic provider: Currently, the health-care system takes a positivist approach, prioritizing scientific data as the gold standard for all care.(4) Although scientific data is important necessary, the constant emphasis on this may suffocate the client population as marginalized evidence and persons may be overlooked. Other paradigms such as critical theory can bridge the gap for marginalized populations and less researched questions.
- Accountability pertains to scope of practice and responsibilities.(3) When a case presents and is outside my scope of practice, care will continue in another discipline. This pertains to both oral and overall health, as increased inter-professional collaboration is vital in client-centred care.
- Confidentiality will be upheld in all instances of care.
- The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association. Ethics Corner. Dental hygienists’ code of ethics. Victoria (BC). CDHA: 2018. Available from: https://www.cdha.ca/cdha/The_Profession_folder/Resources_folder/Code_of_Ethics_folder/CDHA/The_Profession/Resources/Ethics_Corner.aspx
- Ethics Unwrapped. Utilitarianism. McCombs School of Business. University of Texas in Austin. 2018. Available from: https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/utilitarianism
- College of Dental Hygienists of British Columbia. Registrant’s handbook. Practice Standards. Victoria (BC): CDHBC; 2004. Available from: http://www.cdhbc.com/Practice-Resources/Practice-Standards.aspx
- Clovis JB, Cobban SJ. The theory and method of disciplined inquiry. Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene 2006; 40(1): 26-35.