SmileDirectClub: An Ethical Dilemma
Natalie Case
Vatterott College
Introduction to Dental Assisting
Mrs. Courtney Oetting
Dental healthcare workers, such as dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants have a moral obligation to practice their profession in accordance with ethical and legal standards. According to Modern Dental Assisting, ethics is defined as “moral standards of conduct; rules or principles that govern proper conduct.” (Bird & Robinson, 2015, P. 28) Basic ethical principles include autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, veracity, and confidentiality. Regarding ethics, there are many gray areas in this subject and ethical issues are considered to be of individual interpretation. So, what happens …show more content…
A cheaper and easier solution to straighter teeth. However, here are where the problems come in. Problem number one: According to Dr. Jamie Reynolds, an orthodontist based out of Detroit, Michigan, and a contributor to the Daily News, at home impression kits are not as easy as they sound. An individual should expect to take numerous re-do’s, ill-fitting impression trays and consequently ill-fitting clear aligners. Also, an individual should expect some vomiting while trying to take an impression on his or herself. “If the impression isn’t right, the clear aligners won’t fit right, and your teeth won’t move right (or left). Intimate fit is one of the biggest keys to aligners moving teeth, and the fit requires a perfect impression.” (Daily Views, 2017, P. …show more content…
However, patients that are being treated properly in an orthodontics office with a personalized treatment plan will receive treatment for about 9-15 months and may receive up to 30 clear aligners. Treatment times are based on an individual’s particular case, however. If dental professionals are excluded from treatment plans, or are only spending an average of 2 minutes on a case in the SmileDirectClub, how can they properly predict the outcome of an individual case when it isn’t personalized? “The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO), representing 18,000 dental professionals, has lodged complaints with dental boards and attorneys general in 36 states, alleging that SmileDirect’s service – which allows customers to skip in-person doctor visits and X-rays – is ‘illegal and creates medical risks.’” (Buzzfeed News, 2017, P. 1) The AAO states that SmileDirectClub is doing medical work that only qualified professionals are permitted to do, such as taking impressions and distributing dental
Natalie Case
Vatterott College
Introduction to Dental Assisting
Mrs. Courtney Oetting
Dental healthcare workers, such as dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants have a moral obligation to practice their profession in accordance with ethical and legal standards. According to Modern Dental Assisting, ethics is defined as “moral standards of conduct; rules or principles that govern proper conduct.” (Bird & Robinson, 2015, P. 28) Basic ethical principles include autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, veracity, and confidentiality. Regarding ethics, there are many gray areas in this subject and ethical issues are considered to be of individual interpretation. So, what happens …show more content…
A cheaper and easier solution to straighter teeth. However, here are where the problems come in. Problem number one: According to Dr. Jamie Reynolds, an orthodontist based out of Detroit, Michigan, and a contributor to the Daily News, at home impression kits are not as easy as they sound. An individual should expect to take numerous re-do’s, ill-fitting impression trays and consequently ill-fitting clear aligners. Also, an individual should expect some vomiting while trying to take an impression on his or herself. “If the impression isn’t right, the clear aligners won’t fit right, and your teeth won’t move right (or left). Intimate fit is one of the biggest keys to aligners moving teeth, and the fit requires a perfect impression.” (Daily Views, 2017, P. …show more content…
However, patients that are being treated properly in an orthodontics office with a personalized treatment plan will receive treatment for about 9-15 months and may receive up to 30 clear aligners. Treatment times are based on an individual’s particular case, however. If dental professionals are excluded from treatment plans, or are only spending an average of 2 minutes on a case in the SmileDirectClub, how can they properly predict the outcome of an individual case when it isn’t personalized? “The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO), representing 18,000 dental professionals, has lodged complaints with dental boards and attorneys general in 36 states, alleging that SmileDirect’s service – which allows customers to skip in-person doctor visits and X-rays – is ‘illegal and creates medical risks.’” (Buzzfeed News, 2017, P. 1) The AAO states that SmileDirectClub is doing medical work that only qualified professionals are permitted to do, such as taking impressions and distributing dental