Essay on "Dental Hygienist Ethics"

Essay 4 pages (1181 words) Sources: 0 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Ethics

What beneficial approach can the dental hygienist use with Jason if she suspects he is not telling the truth about his tobacco use?

The hygienist needs to approach Jason in a completely benign and non-threatening way. Because teenagers naturally want to experiment with drugs and harmful substances, the hygienist should not speak in a judgmental or condescending manner. Moreover, the hygienist is not responsible for the child's overall well being: that is up to the adolescent and his parent.

However, the hygienist is responsible for helping Jason and his mother make the right decisions. Focusing on the oral health issues related to smoking is the only way the hygienist can reasonably confront Jason. It is not in the hygienist's jurisdiction to discuss matters related to coronary heart disease, lung disease, or any other the other deadly effects that can result from smoking.

The hygienist will have the best results with Jason if he or she communicates effectively. Being honest is the best way to bridge the gap between rebellious teen and authoritative adult. Humor also helps. For example, the hygienist can simply say, "Are you sure you've only tried cigarettes once or twice? Your teeth are pretty stained. You don't want to turn off the girls do you?"

Jason is likely to respond to the hygienist if he or she addresses the subject of smoking in a way that does not cause Jason to be defensive. The hygienist should also emphasize how important confidentiality is to the profession by saying, "Don't worry, Jason, I am actually not allowed to tell your mother what you tell me. I am obliged to keep whatever you
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tell me a secret, I just want you to know that." Assuring Jason that he can confide in the hygienist as if in a friend will help the teen open up and admit to how often he smokes.

After that the hygienist can do little. He or she might subtly or overtly drop hints about how ugly teeth and gums look after years of tobacco use. He or she might also opt to put up photographs of gums and teeth diseased from tobacco use if those might discourage Jason and other teens from continuing their experimentation with tobacco. Asking Jason, "Would you want to kiss that person?" might also get his attention and encourage him to quit.

2. How can the dental hygienist maintain Jason's right to confidentiality but inform his mom of potentially serious changes in the gingival tissues?

The hygienist can easily maintain Jason's right to confidentiality while informing his mom of potentially serious changes to his oral health. Without being obvious, the hygienist can offer the mother advice about checking Jason's oral hygiene as a routine, such as by inspecting his mouth, teeth, and gums for any apparent symptoms. Encouraging the mother to take a more active role in Jason's health care would be the best overall approach. If the mother seems concerned, then she is likely to respond and possibly notice Jason's smoking habit.

If the mother assumes a detached or laissez-faire approach then there is little the hygienist can do without compromising the confidentiality agreement. The hygienist might want to give the mother some literature about oral health, slipping in a brochure about the effects of tobacco use with other general dental literature. Tobacco use can be addressed as only one part of overall lifestyle issues that affect oral health. The approach the hygienist takes with Jason's mother depends mainly on the mother's attitude and level of involvement in Jason's oral… READ MORE

Quoted Instructions for "Dental Hygienist Ethics" Assignment:

Ethics :The Patient Who Uses Tobacco

Objectivve:

To build up the writing foundation we set in essay one (clarity, organization, focus, soherence) by increasing our sophistication in writing style(diction, punctuation, Variety, quotations).Answer all three questions, about 1-2 pages for each question (obviously, some are more complex than others so lengths will vary).

ASSIGNMENT:

Fifteen-year-old ***** comes with his mom for a regular maintenance appointment with the dental hygienist. During the oral examination the hygienist notices small red and white patches in the vestibular areas of the mandible adjacent to the molar teeth. She also records moderate brownish staining on the teeth and plans to use the air-powder polisher after scaling. She question ***** about smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco, but he states that he has tried cigarettes only once or twice.

Question to Consider

1. What beneficial approach can the dental hygienist use with ***** if she suspects he is not telling the truth about his tobacco use?

2. How can the dental hygienist maintain *****s right to confidentiality but inform his mom of potentially serious changes in the gingival tissues?

3. Which of the ethical principles apply to this situation? Explain your response from both the dental hygienist*****s perspective and the patient*****s perspective.

*****

How to Reference "Dental Hygienist Ethics" Essay in a Bibliography

Dental Hygienist Ethics.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2009, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/ethics-beneficial-approach/832954. Accessed 6 Jul 2024.

Dental Hygienist Ethics (2009). Retrieved from https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/ethics-beneficial-approach/832954
A1-TermPaper.com. (2009). Dental Hygienist Ethics. [online] Available at: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/ethics-beneficial-approach/832954 [Accessed 6 Jul, 2024].
”Dental Hygienist Ethics” 2009. A1-TermPaper.com. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/ethics-beneficial-approach/832954.
”Dental Hygienist Ethics” A1-TermPaper.com, Last modified 2024. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/ethics-beneficial-approach/832954.
[1] ”Dental Hygienist Ethics”, A1-TermPaper.com, 2009. [Online]. Available: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/ethics-beneficial-approach/832954. [Accessed: 6-Jul-2024].
1. Dental Hygienist Ethics [Internet]. A1-TermPaper.com. 2009 [cited 6 July 2024]. Available from: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/ethics-beneficial-approach/832954
1. Dental Hygienist Ethics. A1-TermPaper.com. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/ethics-beneficial-approach/832954. Published 2009. Accessed July 6, 2024.

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