Ethical and Legal Practice Flashcards
6 cards from real NDAEB practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Ethical and Legal Practice flashcards as text
Under Canadian dental regulations, what is the dental assistant's legal obligation when they suspect a colleague is practicing while impaired by substances?
Answer: Report the concern to the appropriate regulatory authority or employer
Canadian dental regulations and codes of ethics require mandatory reporting of impaired practitioners to protect public safety, regardless of personal relationships with the colleague.
A patient requests their complete dental records to be transferred to a new dental office. According to Canadian privacy legislation (PIPEDA), what is the correct procedure?
Answer: Provide copies within 30 days of the written request at reasonable cost
Under PIPEDA and provincial privacy laws, patients have the right to access their personal health information. Records must be provided within 30 days, though the practice may charge a reasonable fee for copying.
Which of the following scenarios would constitute a breach of informed consent in a Canadian dental practice?
Answer: Proceeding with an additional procedure discovered during treatment without discussing it with the patient first
Performing any additional procedure beyond what was originally consented to, without first obtaining new consent, violates the principle of informed consent, even if the additional procedure seems clinically necessary.
A dental assistant in Alberta witnesses a dentist repeatedly billing insurance companies for procedures that were not performed. What type of professional misconduct does this represent?
Answer: Insurance fraud, which must be reported to the regulatory college and potentially law enforcement
Deliberately billing for services not rendered constitutes insurance fraud, which is both a criminal offence and professional misconduct requiring mandatory reporting to the provincial dental regulatory body.
According to the NDAEB Code of Ethics, which principle takes the highest priority when a dental assistant faces a conflict between employer directives and patient welfare?
Answer: The well-being and safety of the patient
The NDAEB Code of Ethics establishes that patient welfare is the paramount ethical principle, superseding employer directives, financial considerations, or office protocols when a conflict exists.
What is the legal scope of practice limitation for a certified dental assistant (CDA) in most Canadian provinces regarding the administration of local anaesthesia?
Answer: CDAs may administer local anaesthesia only in provinces where regulations specifically authorize it and after completing additional certification
Administration of local anaesthesia by dental assistants varies by province and requires specific additional certification where it is permitted. A dentist's verbal authorization alone is insufficient.