Understanding Ethics and Professionalism in Dental Nursing Practice

This report delves into the core principles of ethics and professionalism within dental nursing. It begins by exploring the features of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and the importance of adhering to the General Dental Council (GDC) code of practice in the UK. The report then addresses the legal, financial, and ethical considerations involved in managing a dental practice. Furthermore, it outlines the responsibilities of dental care professionals concerning equality, diversity, patient rights, GDC guidelines, and information governance. The report also emphasizes the critical role of safeguarding policies, both national and local, in protecting vulnerable individuals. It describes the signs and symptoms of various forms of abuse and neglect and clarifies the procedure for raising safeguarding concerns. The report references key academic sources to support its analysis.

Understand ethics and
professionalism

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Features of CPD..........................................................................................................................1
Code of practice set by the GDC for dental professionals in UK...............................................1
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................1
To manage a dental practice........................................................................................................1
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................2
Explain the responsibilities of a dental care professional in relation to:.....................................2
TASK 4 ...........................................................................................................................................3
Importance of safeguarding policy in place at a practice............................................................3
National and Local safeguarding systems and policies...............................................................3
Describe six signs and symptoms of:..........................................................................................3
Safeguarding concerns be raised by the dental nurse. ................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
From the view point of deontological ethics, confidentiality and privacy is a moral right
that service users are entitles to and it is bound to professional confidentiality (Chervenak and
McCullough, 2017). The great way for dental professionals to show that they care about their
patients is sticking to code of ethics. The following report is based on four tasks demonstrating
ethics and professionalism in dental nursing.
TASK 1
Features of CPD.
 The CPD requires to be a documented procedure.
 It should be self-directed, driven by an individual.
 Concentrate on learning from experience, reflective learning and review.
 Assist the individual to set development goals and objectives.
 Both formal and informal learning is included.
Code of practice set by the GDC for dental professionals in UK.
Standards for dental team are more comprehensive and perspective than the separate
guidance with the GDC published some years back. Further more, the standards for the team by
general dental council came into existence in 2013. The document outlines the principles and set
outs the standards of conduct, performance and ethics that regulate dental professionals in the
UK (Huang, 2015).
 Keep patient's interest first
 interact effectively with users
 obtain valid consent
 obtain clear and effective complaints procedure
 raise concerns if users are at risk
 perform with colleagues in a way that is in patient's best interests
TASK 2
To manage a dental practice.
Legal requirements:
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 experience
 licence
 section 1 of employment rights
 data protection act
 employees
 naming
 trade mark
 provisions
 software
 timing
Financial :
 examining fiscal health
 aligning financing to the needs
 preparation for loan application
Ethical :
 justice
 patient autonomy
TASK 3
Explain the responsibilities of a dental care professional in relation to:
 Equality and diversity discrimination :- equality refers to treating every person fairly.
The care professional is responsible to provide a caring, welcoming, informative and
supportive practice both for patients and workers. Every patients must be given choice in
deciding service to be used (Leffel, Mueller, Curlin and Yoon, 2015).
 Rights :- based on patient's rights, the responsibility of the dental care professional is to
provide oral health care in a health and safe environment, including with compassion and
respect for their rights and dignity. Further, to show respect for the well-being and needs
of others.
 General Dental Council ethical and professional guidance :- responsibility of care
professionals in relation to the General dental council is to provide care to Maori patients
and their whanau, the other purpose is to protect the public by regulating the dental team,
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helping users with complaints regarding dental professionals and performing to
strengthen patient protection.
 Information governance :- information governance is the toolkit that is designed to
draw together the GDC standards for dental professionals, ans best practice principles for
information governance. Under this, the dental care professional makes sure that the
healthcare providers manage personal and sensitive information relating to service users
and workers. Further, the information governance states that professional is responsible
for controlling and safety of patients.
TASK 4
Importance of safeguarding policy in place at a practice.
Safeguarding is described as protecting people's well being and human rights and
enabling each person to live free from harm. The General Dental Council's Standards states that
all dental professionals must raise concerns if service user is at risk. This is important because, I
will promote better communication between staff and other volunteers including patients.
National and Local safeguarding systems and policies.
 National policy :- this states that making sure that all staff in the practice are alert of their
duty to safeguard and are familiar with safeguarding children and prevention of
vulnerable adult.
 Local policy :- the local policy states that organisations are committed to protect children
up to 18 years old from harm. The dental team accept and identify their obligations to
develop awareness of the issue which cause children harm.
Describe six signs and symptoms of:
 Physical : bruises, burns or scalds, bite marks, fractures or broken bones.
 Emotional : withdrawn, behaves anxious, thoughts of suicide, frighten others, uses
sarcasm and hurt others.
 Sexual : Bruises, scars, chafing, or bite marks in the genital area., discharge or bleeding
from the vagina, rectal or genital bleeding, anal tears or dilation.
 Neglect : inappropriate dressing, malnourished, extremely dirty, persistent skin disorders,
and rashes.
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Safeguarding concerns be raised by the dental nurse.
If nurses suspect that some form of abuse or neglect at workplace has taken place then it
is necessary to keep that patient safe immediately and he/she must not be placed at any more
risk.
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REFERENCES
Chervenak, F. A. and McCullough, L. B., 2017. The unlimited‐rights model of obstetric ethics
threatens professionalism. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics &
Gynaecology. 124(8). pp.1144-1147.
Huang, P. H., 2015. How Improving Decision-Making and Mindfulness Can Improve Legal
Ethics and Professionalism. JL Bus. & Ethics. 21. p.35.
Leffel, G. M., Mueller, R. A. O., Curlin, F. A. and Yoon, J. D., 2015. Relevance of the
rationalist–intuitionist debate for ethics and professionalism in medical
education. Advances in Health Sciences Education. 20(5). pp.1371-1383.
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