Ethics & Law · single question

A 14-year-old patient wants orthodontic treatment and comes to the office with her mother, who does not speak English. How should the dentist proceed to ensure proper informed consent?

Seek out a certified medical/healthcare interpreter
Have the patient herself translate for her mother
Use a staff member with no formal interpreter certification as an informal translator
Proceed without translation since the patient can understand

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Correct answer: A. Seek out a certified medical/healthcare interpreter

For informed consent purposes (a medical-legal process requiring full, accurate understanding), the standard of care is to use a certified medical/healthcare interpreter — whether in person or via a certified online/phone interpreting service — rather than relying on informal interpretation by a family member or untrained staff, which risks miscommunication of critical consent information.

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A 14-year-old patient wants orthodontic treatment and comes to the office with her mother, who does not speak English. How should the dentist proceed to ensure proper informed consent?

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