Description

Prompt followed before choosing to work on “Ethical Challenges and Dilemmas in Dentistry”

Students are expected to write Final Research Paper on a pre-approved subject of relevance to the course content – you may select any ethical area. The paper must be typed and double-spaced using 12-point Times New Roman font and 1-inch margins, 10-11 pages excluding cover page and references. The paper must be written using APA format. The paper must include the following:
• Introduction of the dilemma
• History of the dilemma
• Current literature on the topic
• Conclusion

Solution

Ethical Challenges and Dilemmas in Dentistry

Introduction

The shape, color, symmetry, proportionality, position, and alignment of the dental arcade significantly influence the desirability and appeal of esthetics. The consequent emphasis on cosmetic and aesthetic dental procedures has emerged as one of the critical challenges facing modern dentistry (Rostamzadeh & Rahimi, 2025; Gheorghiu et al., 2019). Ethical standards must adapt to the rapidly evolving circumstances of everyday life and medical practice.

However, making choices often becomes difficult when medical practitioners face situations that require breaking some ethical norms regardless of the chosen alternative. Multiple ethical values influence the health care system (Pozgar, 2016). Cosmetic dentistry involves restorative techniques that aim to improve the physical appearance of a patient without targeting functionality (Neagu et al., 2015). Ethical dilemmas arise over cosmetic dental procedures because of a lack of clarity between providing restorative treatment to achieve the desired esthetic outcome and procedures that may constitute overtreatment.

Dentists face ethical dilemmas when providing cosmetic procedures, as they must balance the benefits of cosmetic enhancements, the principle of autonomy, and the risk of complications and unnecessary suffering. The elective nature of aesthetic dentistry procedures increases the likelihood of ethical dilemmas. Since values are likely to conflict, ethical dilemmas in dentistry frequently occur. When considering the benefits and risks involved in cosmetic dental procedures, dentists may find it difficult to determine the right or wrong decision path to follow. While ethical principles assume a central role in ensuring professionalism in the healthcare industry, providing cosmetic or esthetic dental restorative work poses significant ethical challenges primarily due to the elective nature of the treatment.

Historical Evolution of Ethical Concerns in Dental Restoration

Ethical dilemmas surrounding cosmetic dental procedures emerged following the developments achieved in dental restoration during the 20th century. At the beginning of that century, dental restorative work remained limited due to the lack of adequate local anesthesia and the absence of reliable operative materials and techniques.

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