Genetics in dental practice: social and ethical issues surrounding genetic testing

It is evident that human genetic variation is associated with many if not all human diseases including the more prevalent chronic diseases. As a result, genetics is becoming integrated into health care in all medical specialties, including oral medicine and its specialties. At the level of public health, genetic information will become increasingly important in research, policy, and program development. As application of genome technologies moves from the research laboratory to the clinical setting, a complex array of challenges will face dental clinicians in their efforts to use genetic information to improve health care and prevent disease on an individual, family, and community level. The broader social, ethical, and legal implications raised by the clinical use of genomic information have not received the same attention as did recent gene identification aspects of the Human Genome Project. The goal of this review is to foster attention and dialogue within the dental community of the ethical and social issues emerging from the availability of genetic information. Specific areas addressed include genetic testing, confidentiality, discrimination, informed consent, risk communication, and professional education.