Ethics & Law · patient case question
Who provides consent for her treatment?
Patient case: Girl with Down syndrome attending for treatment
Patient: Girl with Down syndrome (trisomy 21), a minor
Chief complaint: Attends with her mother for examination and treatment.
Background: Trisomy 21. Mother is the primary caregiver.
Current findings: Panoramic radiograph and intraoral examination performed.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Her mother
- A. A minor cannot provide legally valid consent for treatment.
- B. A court appointment is required only where no parent or guardian exists, or where authority is contested. It is not routinely needed.
- C. CORRECT. She is a MINOR, so consent is provided by her parent or legal guardian — here, her mother. Note the separate obligation of ASSENT: you should still explain the treatment in terms she can understand and seek her cooperation.
- D. A dentist cannot self-authorise treatment outside a genuine emergency.
Note: Consent comes from the parent or guardian; ASSENT should still be sought from the patient. On reaching adulthood, an intellectually disabled patient requires formally established guardianship — parental authority does not automatically continue.