The Journal of the American College of Dentists
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It is easy enough to proclaim that cheating is wrong and to explain it as yet another example of trends in this country elevating the big bluff or the apparently sincere apology as means of getting off. The question is what should a professional do when witnessing what appears to be a colleague's unethical behavior? A scenario is analyzed where a dental student observes what appears to be cheating on an examination. Important steps in the process include diagnosing the moral culture of the school, determining who else might have witnessed the event and what they might do about it, and being willing to accept personal responsibility for any action taken.
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The Vancouver Convention is renowned among editors who publish dental and related research. It is the standard for what content goes in the Methods section, how tables and figures are to be laid out, and how references are to be cited, among many other particulars. Almost no biomedical research journals follow the Vancouver Convention in every detail; virtually all come very close. ⋯ In 2000, the Board of Regents of the American College of Dentists and the officers of the American Association of Dental Editors approved a joint Code of Ethics for Dental Editors. The code is based on the Vancouver Convention, but also addresses journal content beyond reports of research findings. The joint ACD-AADE code can be accessed at http://acd.org/ codefordentaleditors.htm.
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The different ethical perspectives of dentists and auto mechanics include primary concern, billing procedures, advertising, emergency care, the level of autonomy granted to their patients/ clients, the amount of disclosure given to their patients/clients, the ability to judge the work of others, and the freedom to pursue romantic relationships with their patients/clients. In analyzing these differences, one finds dentists to have much greater ethical obligations than auto mechanics. There are subtle differences between the ethical expectations of Canadian and United States dentists.
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Narrative medicine seeks to improve clinical effectiveness through narrative training in reading and writing. Stories give meaning to experience and encourage communication between doctors and patients by honoring the basic human need to recognize and be recognized. Learning how to receive and tell stories, practiced through close reading, group discussion, and written response, may also facilitate ethical reflection and inquiry.