EDUCATING THE DEVELOPING DENTAL STUDENT IN ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM.

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Bioethics

Background:

• Ethics education is mandatory for dental and dental hygiene program accreditation.
• Established since the 1990s, it's a core component of professional training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the dominant pedagogical approaches in dental ethics education.
• To provide examples of successful ethics education programs in dental and dental hygiene settings.

Main Methods:

• Review of established accreditation standards for dental and dental hygiene programs.
• Description of pedagogical strategies, including lectures and case-based seminars.
• Case study analysis of three distinct ethics education programs.

Main Results:

• The predominant method combines lectures with small, case-based seminars.
• This approach aims to impart ethical principles and decision-making skills.
• Programs focus on navigating ethical dilemmas with multiple valid courses of action.

Conclusions:

• Current ethics education in dental and dental hygiene programs relies on a blended learning approach.
• Case-based seminars are crucial for developing practical ethical reasoning skills.
• The described programs offer models for effective ethics instruction in these professions.