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Ethics & Law · single question

A patient mentions they dislike the loud sound of the dental handpiece. What is a simple, appropriate accommodation to offer?

  1. Offering earbuds/headphones to help mask the sound and reduce anxiety
  2. Refusing to use the handpiece for any procedure
  3. Telling the patient to simply tolerate the sound
  4. Sedating the patient for routine, otherwise simple procedures
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Correct answer: A. Offering earbuds/headphones to help mask the sound and reduce anxiety

Offering earbuds or headphones (allowing the patient to listen to music or other audio) is a simple, low-cost, patient-centered accommodation that can meaningfully reduce anxiety related to handpiece noise, without requiring pharmacologic intervention or compromising the clinical procedure itself.

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