1 SYLLABUS
Ethics and Law PDS 433
2011
DEPARTMENT: Preventive Dental Science
Chair: Najla Alamoudi, BDS, PhD
DIVISION: Community Dentistry
Head: Dania Al Agili, BDS, MPH, MS, DrPH
INSTRUCTORS: Course Director: Dania Al Agili, BDS, MPH, MS, DrPH Course Co-director: Mohammed K. Yousef, BDS, MSD, PhD
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will be taught in three modules. In the first module, ethics and professionalism in dentistry, ethical theories, principles of ethics, and code of
professional conduct will be introduced. In the second module, selected ethical issues will be examined and the process of ethical decision making will be discussed. In the third module, a brief history of the development of research ethics and research that involves human participation will be introduced. The principles of research, their relationship to clinical care, and the requirements of ethics review committees will be examined. The principles taught in this course will be applied to moral problems in dentistry and dental research, often through the medium of case studies.
COURSE GOALS:
1. To achieve a basic understanding of the major ethical theories.
2. To understand the chief principals underlying discussion of issues in ethics.
3. To become acquainted with some of the classic cases in medical and dental ethics.
4. To produce within the young dental student an enhanced awareness of the nature and extent of the responsibility dentists assume in respect of their patients, profession, colleagues, and society in general.
5. To develop positive attitudes toward life-long learning in matters involving professional conduct and conduct of research.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
Module (1):
1. Define ethics and explain the purpose of it.
2. Describe major ethical theories and the strengths and weaknesses of each.
3. List and explain principles of ethics and professional code of ethics.
4. Define profession, professionals, and professionalism.
2 Module (2):
5. Understand and describe ethical issues of abuse of prescriptions by patients;
access to dental care; advertising, child abuse; confidentiality; dating patients;
delegation of duties; disclosure and misrepresentation; emergency care; financial arrangements; harassment; informed consent; and refraining from treatment.
6. Evaluate ethical issues in dentistry using a process of ethical decision making.
7. Apply the principles of ethics and professionalism to moral issues in dentistry.
Module (3):
8. Describe classic cases in medical and dental ethics.
9. Define and apply basic terms relating to the ethical conduct of research including research misconduct, fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism,
10. Make ethical and legal choices in the face of conflicts involving research.
REQUIRED READINGS:
Current articles and documents handed in class.
Macrina F. Scientific Integrity: Text and Cases in Responsible Conduct of Research.
Washington, D.C, ASM Press, Third Edition, 2005.
Ozar DT, Sokol DJ. Dental Ethics at Chairside: Professional Principles and Practical Applications. Washington, D.C, Georgetown University Press, Second Edition, 2002 Veatch, R.M. Medical Ethics. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. 1989.
Rule, J.T.; Veatch, R.M. Ethical Questions In Dentistry. 2nd ed. Quintessence Pub., Chicago, 2004
COURSE SCHEDULE:
Module (1): Weeks 1-3 – Ethics and Professionalism in Dentistry
Week one: Dr. M. Khalil
Introduction to course objectives and outline
Principles of ethics and codes of conduct Week two: Dr. M. Khalil
Discussion of ethics in light of Islam and culture
3 Week three: Dr. D. Al Agili
Overview of Ethics and Professionalism, definition of ethics, profession, professional, and professionalism
Classic Theories in Ethics
o Discussion of the major ethical theories: Utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, and Virtue theory.
Module (2): Weeks 4-6 – Ethical Issues in Dentistry
Week four: Dr. D. Al Agili
Informed consent and competency
Respect and equal treatment
Incompetent patients Week five: Dr. D. Al Agili
Uncooperative patients, patients with AIDS & Hepatitis viruses
Dentist and the society: resources allocation, public and global health
Dentist and colleagues: conflict of interest, cooperation, reporting unsafe practices.
Week six:
Case Studies Week seven:
Midterm examination
Module (3): Weeks 8-11 – Research Ethics
Week eight: Dr. M. Khalil
Classic cases in the field of ethics
o Examples include: Vipeholm study, Tuskegee Study and others
History of development of research ethics
o A description of the events cited in the development of standards for the ethical use of humans in research: Nuremberg Code, Declaration of Helsinki, National Research Act, Belmont Report, Public Health Services Act, and the Common Rule.
Week nine: Dr. D. Al Agili
Human participation in Research
o Informed Consent/Privacy/Confidentiality o Vulnerable Populations
o Institutional Review Board
4 Week ten: Dr. M. Khalil
Principles of research ethics
o Fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results.
o Copyrights, fair use of media o Guides for mentoring
Professional Responsibility in Research
o Issues in conducting, reporting, and funding research.
Week eleven:
Case Studies
Week twelve:
Conclusion and Review
Grading:
Students are expected to attend and to participate actively in all sessions. There will be case-studies discussions, Mid, and Final examinations. The grading will be out of 100 marks and will be as follows:
Attendance 10%
Case studies 20%
Midterm written examination 25%
Final written examination 45%
Successful completion of the course is dependent on achieving a passing grade of 60 % or above of the total mark.
The grading scale of the University is:
A+ 95 – 100 % A 90 – 94%
B + 85 – 89 % B 80 – 84%
C+ 75 – 79 % C 70 – 74%
D+ 65 – 69 % D 60 – 64%
F Less than 60%
