Patients have 4 basic ethical rights with respect to dental and medical care
PATIENT AUTONOMY:
- the patient's right to choose a treatment protocol
- the ethical obligation of the treating practitioner to offer all options for care and
- to provide costs, benefits and risks for each option
- so the patient can make an educated choice
PRACTITIONER VERACITY:
- the ethical obligation of the treating practitioner to tell the patient the truth
- about their condition based on sound well researched evidence
- about the proposed treatments based on sound well researched evidence
PRACTITIONER BENEFICENCE:
- the obligation of the practitioner to do "good" for the patient
- to provide evidence based dental treatment that produces the desired outcome
- to provide evidence based dental treatment that is the least invasive withe the least side effects
PRACTITIONER NON MALFEASANCE:
- the obligation of the practitioner not to harm the patient
- to provide minimally invasive evidence based dental care