Ethics & Law · single question

A pediatric patient arrives for a scheduled appointment accompanied by her grandmother, with no signed consent form on file from a parent or legal guardian. What should you do?

Have the grandmother sign, assuming she has authority
Proceed with treatment based on the child's own assent
Contact the parent(s)/legal guardian directly to obtain proper informed consent before proceeding with non-emergency treatment
Treat the child regardless, since a family member is present

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Correct answer: C. Contact the parent(s)/legal guardian directly to obtain proper informed consent before proceeding with non-emergency treatment

Absent documented legal guardianship, a grandmother generally cannot provide legally valid informed consent for a minor's elective dental treatment. The appropriate step for non-emergency care is to contact the parent(s) or legal guardian directly to obtain proper consent before proceeding (true emergencies may be treated under emergency-care doctrine even without consent, but this should not be the default approach for routine/non-emergency visits).

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A pediatric patient arrives for a scheduled appointment accompanied by her grandmother, with no signed consent form on file from a parent or legal guardian. What should you do?

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