RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DENTIST 10.

Bioethics
• Welfare of the subjects should come first
DUTY TO THE COMMUNITY • Obtain informed consent
1. Primary Duty
2. Emergency Service 11. Records Keeping
3. Delegation of Service • Should be comprehensive – Tx plan, diagnostics,
4. Supervision of Work medical clearances and records
5. Professional Fees • Should be kept for at least 10 years
6. Irreproachable Conduct
7. Discoveries of Work DUTY TO THE PROFESSION
8. Oral Health Care Program 1. Keeping Professionally Fit
9. Leadership 2. Continuing Professional Development
10. Bioethics 3. Continuing Professional Education Credits
11. Records Keeping 4. Preceptorship
5. Specialty Group
1. Primary Duty 6. Evidence of Professional Credentials
• To serve the public 7. Duty to Report
• Best professional service 8. Professional Consultation and Referral
• According to the established standards of care 9. Transfer of Patients
10. Professional Opinion/Testimony
2. Emergency Service 11. Performance of Obligations
• When a px of another dentist consults another dentist 12. Testimonials
→ attend only the px’s chief complaint
• Ask the px to go back to his original dentist after 1. Keeping Professionally Fit
emergency tx • The professional’s rights depend on his knowledge,
• Inform the original dentist the clinical findings and skills, and efficiency.
the emergency tx rendered
2. & 3. Continuing Professional Development
3. Delegation of Service • Must attend continuing education programs
• Should not delegate if the procedure requires his accredited by the Board of Dentistry and PRC
competence • Minimum of 60 Continuing Education/Development
• Can only delegate procedures to another licensed Credit units every 3 years prior to the renewal of PRC
dentist and hygienist Card
• Held responsible for the actions done by his
employees during assigned clinic hours 4. Preceptorship
• Regulated by the Board of Dentistry
4. Supervision of Work • Should be conducted in a school recognized by CHED
• Should supervise his employees’ work or in a hospital recognized by DOH
• Should assure the delivery of quality of standards of
care 5. Specialty Group
• All groups should apply to the Board of Dentistry for
5. Professional Fees accreditation
• Factors: • Each should make its own system regarding training
✓ nature of case programs and establish its own council
✓ expertise
✓ effort 6. Evidence of Professional Credentials
✓ skill • Display in the clinic:
✓ materials used ✓ Diploma
• Should discuss the treatment plan, all options, and ✓ Certificate of registration
corresponding fees prior to any procedure ✓ professional license
✓ certificates of training residency
6. Irreproachable Conduct ✓ certificate of proficiency
• Should not allow his name to cover up illegal acts or • display separately in the dentist’s private clinic only:
to provide certification without due basis ✓ Plaques
✓ Testimonials
7. Discoveries of Work ✓ Certificates of appreciation
• Must make available their discoveries, inventions, or • Other clinics
works that are useful to public health ✓ display certified true copies obtained
from dental school and PRC
8. Oral Health Care Program
• Should participate in oral health education and care 7. Duty to Report
programs ▪ Should report any violation by colleagues, dental
• Should participate in volunteer programs hygienist, or dental technologist

9. Leadership
• Should make his skills, knowledge, and experiences
available to the public
8. Professional Consultation and Referral • Prints, websites, and other electronic form of
• if in doubt, consult another dentist or REFER communication – up to 30 days from date of opening
• Consultant – should discuss the px’s condition and tx only
plan with the referring dentist; should refer back the
px after the management of the cause of the referral MEMBERSHIP IN THE DENTAL ASSOCIATION
• Active members of PDA (integrated national
9. Transfer of Patients organization of dentists)
• Endorse the patient properly to another dentist • At least 1 dental chapter
• Provide the patient with a CERTIFICATION OF RELEASE • Provide financial support to the organizations (paid
which contains extent of work rendered and any annual dues)
pending procedures needed, obligations
• Commitment to provide emergency care until the px Reference: Regulatory Code of Dental Practice in the
is transferred to another dentist Philippines by PRC

10. Professional Opinion/Testimony

• Correct faulty management by another dentist
WITHOUT criticism
• Limit comments within the nature of referral or
consultation
• Expert Testimony – limit comments to the case and
avoid undue criticism to defame the other

11. Performance of Obligations

• should diligently perform all obligations to patients,
financing institutions, etc. to preserve the prestige of
the profession

12. Testimonials
• always consider the dignity of the profession before
providing professional opinion or endorsement of
professional products/techniques
• Dental professionals CANNOT give direct testimonials
or endorsement of products related to oral health
care

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
1. Building a Dental Practice
2. Authorized Advertising
3. Signages
4. Announcement

1. Building a Dental Practice

• Should be professional
• FAIR – should NOT cause false claims against another
practice just to gain professional advancement
• Should only use the terms “CLINIC” or “OFFICE” to
refer to the dental practice to preserve the dignity of
the profession
• Should NOT solicit patients or offer
commissions/rebates for referrals
• Promotional rates are NOT allowed.

2 & 3. Authorized Advertising and Signages

• Best way: through word of mouth by his/her patients
• Signages should be decent and dignified – name and
clinic hours; “x-ray”, “gas”, “air-abrasive”, “dental
laboratory”, “air- conditioned”, or any misleading
terms should NOT appear
• Use of professional title or degress ONLY – doctor,
dentist, DDM, DMD, DDS

4. Announcement
• Should use newspaper announcement only
✓ 2 inches x 2 inches column only
• Done only when: opening a new clinic, changing a
location, changes in character of practice