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Ethics & Law · single question

A patient comes to you with poor-quality previous dental restorations and treatment. What is the most appropriate professional response?

  1. Treat the patient's current needs without commenting negatively about the previous dentist
  2. Explain to the patient that their previous dentist did a bad job
  3. Inform the patient that they need to redo restorations and be judgmental of previous care
  4. Refer the patient back to the previous dentist
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Correct answer: A. Treat the patient's current needs without commenting negatively about the previous dentist

Professional ethics require that dentists never disparage or speak negatively about colleagues in front of patients. Speaking negatively about a previous dentist undermines patient trust in the profession and violates the ADA Code of Ethics principle of non-maleficence and professionalism. The appropriate approach is to objectively assess the patient's current dental status, explain treatment needs in neutral terms without attributing blame, and provide care in the patient's best interest. If the previous care was below standard, this can be addressed through proper channels.

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