Sally Hygienist is already running late in seeing her patients today. The patient now in her chair is on a periodontal maintenance routine and presented with a large piece of subgingival calculus on the distal of tooth number two. Sally informed the patient of the deposit and spent much time in instrumentation of the area. To her disappointment, the deposit is still there when she explores the site at the very end of the appointment. She has no more time to spend on the area. The patient asks Sally if the deposit is gone, but Sally doesn't want to keep the patient in her chair any longer. Sally is tempted to tell the patient that everything is fine so that she can move on with her day. Which ethical value is being put to the test in this situation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ethical value being put to the test in this situation is veracity.
Sally's example shows how the ethical value of being open and honest with patients can be threatened by putting personal interests first. In such a situation, it would be easy to lie and postpone arranging further treatment, but the ethical decision is to give the patient the full truth they deserve to know about their situation.

Sally Hygienist Is Already Running Late in Seeing Her Patients