Adams School of Dentistry: Code of Professional Conduct

Introduction

The UNC Adams School of Dentistry calls upon faculty, staff and students to follow high ethical standards which keep the best interest of the patient as their primary goal. To fulfill this goal we expect these high ethical standards to be practiced both during the dental educational programs here at the University of North Carolina and during the dental professional’s career.

The UNC Adams School of Dentistry believes dental professionals should possess not only knowledge, skill, and technical competence but also traits of character that foster adherence to ethical principles. The ethical principles listed below constitute the Code of Professional Conduct and are part of the ethical education of a dental professional and practice of dentistry that define the true professional. These ethical principles establish concise standards of behavior to guide the public’s expectations of our profession. Each dental professional should strive to provide care based on these ethical principles regardless of gender, race, creed, religion, national origin, disability or sexual orientation. Furthermore, each dental professional shall conduct himself/herself in like manner with staff, colleagues and the public at large.

The UNC Adams School of Dentistry believes a dental professional should strive to do that which is right and good. The UNC Adams School of Dentistry Code of Professional Conduct is an instrument to help the dental professional in this pursuit of excellence.

School Motto

Veritas, Beneficus, Officium (truth, good, service)

Code of Professional Conduct

  1. Autonomy - The dental professional shall recognize that patients have a right to determine what should be done with their own bodies.
  2. Beneficence - The dental professional is obligated to benefit others and to do good.
  3. Non-maleficence - The dental professional is to refrain from doing harm to patients.
  4. Compassion - The dental professional is to care for and to identify with the patient’s overall well-being.
  5. Competence - The dental professional is to diagnose, promote oral health, treat the patient’s oral health needs and refer to another competent dental professional when it is in the patient’s best interest. The dental professional is to remain current in his/her knowledge with the goal of providing the best care for patients.
  6. Integrity - The dental professional is to behave with honor, decency and consistency.
  7. Justice - The dental professional shall give to each patient his or her due while balancing the benefits and burdens of doing so.
  8. Professionalism - The dental professional shall provide all patients with the best services possible of which he/she is capable and act as a public servant to the community in health matters.
  9. Respect - The dental professional is to value the worth of others.
  10. Tolerance - The dental professional shall recognize and respect cultural differences, understanding how these affect patient choices and treatment.

Contact Information

Primary Contact
Topic Officer Contact Info
General questions about policy Executive Vice Dean for Education edward_swift@unc.edu

Details

Article ID: 134228
Created
Thu 7/8/21 2:00 PM
Modified
Tue 11/28/23 1:21 PM
Effective Date
If the date on which this document became/becomes enforceable differs from the Origination or Last Revision, this attribute reflects the date on which it is/was enforcable.
01/24/2013 12:00 AM
Issuing Officer
Name of the document Issuing Officer. This is the individual whose organizational authority covers the policy scope and who is primarily responsible for the policy.
Issuing Officer Title
Title of the person who is primarily responsible for issuing this policy.
Executive Vice Dean for Education
Last Review
Date on which the most recent document review was completed.
07/08/2021 12:00 AM
Last Revised
Date on which the most recent changes to this document were approved.
01/24/2013 12:00 AM
Next Review
Date on which the next document review is due.
06/15/2024 12:00 AM
Origination
Date on which the original version of this document was first made official.
12/13/2012 12:00 AM
Responsible Unit
School, Department, or other organizational unit issuing this document.
Adams School of Dentistry

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Adams School of Dentistry: Policy on Student Professionalism
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