Codes and colleagues: Is there support for universal patient acceptance?

Area of Science:

• Oral Health Care Policy
• Dental Ethics
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Discussion stems from remarks at a 2005 national conference on Access to Oral Health Care.
• Examines the concept of Universal Patient Acceptance versus "access" in dentistry.
• Compares dental and psychological perspectives on patient acceptance and access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To refine verbal reactions regarding patient acceptance and access in oral health care.
• To analyze the concept of Universal Patient Acceptance and its adoption by dentists.
• To compare professional viewpoints on patient acceptance and access in dentistry and psychology.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Patthoff's concept of Universal Patient Acceptance.
• Review of dental codes of ethics for support of Universal Patient Acceptance.
• Comparative analysis of dentistry's and psychology's views on access and acceptance.

Main Results:

• Universal Patient Acceptance is supported, with a call for clear explanation to dentists.
• Dentistry's embrace of "access" is less likely than Universal Patient Acceptance.
• Dental ethics codes show mixed support for Universal Patient Acceptance.
• Psychology appears to view access and acceptance more holistically than dentistry.

Conclusions:

• Universal Patient Acceptance is crucial for dentistry to maintain its role as a caring profession.
• Adoption of Universal Patient Acceptance is recommended over a focus solely on "access".
• Dentistry should prioritize patient acceptance to avoid becoming a purely commercial enterprise.