Professionalism and Ethics in Dentistry
February 8, 2025 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Livestream Online Only)
Description
This course is suitable for all involved in the practice of dentistry, dental hygiene, dental assisting, and other office personnel.
The course will begin with some definitions and a short Code of Ethics review outlining
principles of ethical and prudent practice, exploring topics that may include:
- Public interest vs public protection
- Personal vs professional accountability
- Professional judgement
- Professional boundaries vs respect for individuality
- Conflict of interest
- Informed consent
- Privacy vs confidentiality
- Duty to report
- Principles of ethical behaviour
- Standards of practice
Various disciplinary cases will be reviewed through the lens of an ethical framework for
identifying and managing the problems that led to the patient filing a complaint with their
regulatory body. Knowing what is expected of us by the public and our licensing body is
crucial to maintaining our trusted professional status or fiduciary relationship.
Managing problems before they escalate to a complaint is prudent, as is implementing behaviour
or policy changes to mitigate against a future problem.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this 3 hour ZOOM course, the participants should:
- know the professional and ethical principles that govern the practice of dentistry
- know where to find the regulatory guidelines, standards and/or bylaws that govern the
practice of dentistry and their behaviour as professionals in their province/territory in Canada - understand how to approach an ethical dilemma in the delivery of dentistry
- when faced with a professional dilemma or problem, be able to identify the tools needed to
investigate, to analyze options and implement the prudent solution to the problem that
protects the best interests of the patient - be able to mitigate risk of recurrence by implementing the appropriate changes
Speaker
Dr. Patti Ling DMD, MSc, FRCD(C), dip. ABOMR
Dr. Ling obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in 1976 and her Doctor of Dental Science in 1980 from the University of Toronto. Her first 5 years of clinical life were spent in rural practices in Prescott and Morrisburg, Ontario. In 1985 she moved to Winnipeg with her family and returned to clinical practice later that year. She began her teaching career, both didactic and clinical, at the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, University of Manitoba in 1986. From 1988 to1990, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, coordinated first- and second-year dental courses and taught clinically in Oral Diagnosis, Periodontology, Dental Hygiene and Restorative Dentistry.
With a passion to combine basic and clinical sciences teaching, Dr. Ling completed her Masters of Science degree in 1995 through the Department of Anatomy, University of Manitoba with a focus on developing an in-vivo surgical technique to measure pulpal response to CO2 laser technology, through micro and ultrastructural analysis.
Dr. Ling continued with her clinical teaching on a part-time basis until February of 2015 when she became Deputy Registrar of the Manitoba Dental Association. In July of 2017, she became Acting Registrar of the Manitoba Dental Association, and later Registrar on December 1 of 2017.
As Registrar, Dr. Ling was involved with licensure of dentists, registration of dental assistants, professional dental corporations and the Peer Review/Disciplinary process for Manitoba. She was a member of the MDA Board of Directors in an ex-officio/advisory capacity, in addition to being a voting Board Member of the Canadian Dental Regulatory Authorities Federation. Dr. Ling retired from organized dentistry in January 2020.
Dr. Ling practiced general dentistry in Winnipeg, Manitoba from 1985 to 2020 as an associate initially and then as an owner/partner.
Dr. Ling retired from general practice and from organized dentistry in 2020 but still teaches on a part-time basis at the College of Dentistry.
Study Credits
This course provides up to 3.0 hours of Continuing Dental Education (CDE) Credits.
Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, University of Manitoba Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider for FAGD/MAGD credit. Approval does not imply acceptance by any regulatory authority or AGD endorsement. The current term of approval extends from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2026. Provider ID# 214210. Subject Code 555.