Ethics & Law · patient case question
What type of consent has been obtained from Patient A?
Patient case: Consent Across Three Patients
Patient: 39-year-old male, plus two additional patients seen the same day
Chief Complaint: “My wisdom tooth on the bottom left is broken down and I want it out.”
Background: Patient A: 39-year-old male, healthy, no medications, no anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy, no allergies. Tooth #17 grossly carious and non-restorable. Risks, benefits, and alternatives to extraction were discussed in full; he asked questions, expressed understanding, verbally agreed, and signed the consent form. Patient B: 5-year-old male attending with his mother for restorative treatment. Patient C: 44-year-old male rendered legally incompetent following a gunshot injury to the head; his wife has been appointed his legal guardian by the court.
Medications: Patient A: none
Vital Signs: Patient A: BP 120/76 mmHg · HR 72 bpm · RR 16 · T 98.6°F
Findings: Patient A: #17 with gross distal caries extending subgingivally, non-restorable. No pericoronitis, no trismus, no lymphadenopathy.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Informed consent
- A. Correct. Informed consent requires disclosure of the diagnosis, the proposed treatment, its risks and benefits, the reasonable alternatives including no treatment, and an opportunity for the patient to ask questions and demonstrate understanding. Every element is present here.
- B. Incorrect. Proxy or surrogate consent is given by an authorized person on behalf of a patient who lacks capacity. Patient A has full capacity and consented for himself.
- C. Incorrect. Emergency consent is the doctrine permitting treatment of a patient who cannot consent when delay would cause serious harm. Nothing here is an emergency and the patient is fully able to consent.
- D. Incorrect. Implied consent is inferred from conduct rather than stated — a patient opening their mouth for an examination, for example. It never suffices for a surgical procedure.