A 14-year-old pregnant patient comes for dental cleaning. Her parents are with her but do not know she is pregnant. What should you do?

Correct answer: C. Refuse treatment until parents know

• A. Incorrect. Disclosing a minor's confidential reproductive health information without her consent violates patient confidentiality.
• B. Incorrect. Delegating the breach of confidentiality to staff is equally inappropriate.
• C. Correct. Perform the dental cleaning (safe during pregnancy with appropriate precautions) and advise the patient to disclose her pregnancy to her parents. This preserves confidentiality while encouraging responsible disclosure.
• D. Incorrect. Refusing treatment abandons the patient without justification.

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