Professionalism and Professional Standards for Dentists and Dental Professionals
Course Description
Professionalism and Professional Standards for Dentists and Dental Professionals (USA) is a CPD course designed to help dental practitioners understand, apply, and demonstrate professionalism as required by U.S. regulators.
Professionalism in dentistry is more than technical skill — it is about consistently demonstrating honesty, accountability, respect, and integrity in clinical, business, and digital contexts. The American Dental Association (ADA) Code of Ethics, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) Standards, and state dental boards all stress that professionalism is a condition of licensure and a foundation of public trust.
This course explores the attributes of professionalism, how lapses are treated by regulators, and strategies for embedding professional standards into daily dental practice. Through case studies, regulator-aligned guidance, and practical strategies, learners will develop the tools to uphold professionalism in patient care, documentation, communication, advertising, and disciplinary processes.
Course Content
Course Objectives
Course Objectives
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 1: Introduction — Why Professionalism Matters in U.S. Dentistry
1.1 What Is Professionalism in Dentistry?
You don't currently have access to this content
1.2 Why Professionalism Matters for Patients
You don't currently have access to this content
1.3 Why Professionalism Matters for Regulators
You don't currently have access to this content
1.4 Professionalism as Part of Professional Identity
You don't currently have access to this content
1.5 Consequences of Professionalism Lapses
You don't currently have access to this content
1.6 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 2: Core Attributes of Dental Professionalism
2.1 Honesty and Probity
You don't currently have access to this content
2.2 Accountability
You don't currently have access to this content
2.3 Respect and Dignity
You don't currently have access to this content
2.4 Clinical Competence
You don't currently have access to this content
2.5 Professional Boundaries
You don't currently have access to this content
2.6 Communication and Collaboration
You don't currently have access to this content
2.7 Reflection and Insight
You don't currently have access to this content
2.8 Resilience and Professional Identity
You don't currently have access to this content
2.9 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 3: Regulator Perspectives — ADA, ADHA, and State Boards
3.1 American Dental Association (ADA)
You don't currently have access to this content
3.2 American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA)
You don't currently have access to this content
3.3 State Dental Boards
You don't currently have access to this content
3.4 Shared Regulatory Principles
You don't currently have access to this content
3.5 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 4: Common Lapses in Professionalism and Their Consequences
4.1 Dishonesty and Lack of Probity
You don't currently have access to this content
4.2 Poor Communication and Disrespect
You don't currently have access to this content
4.3 Boundary Violations
You don't currently have access to this content
4.4 Failure to Maintain Competence
You don't currently have access to this content
4.5 Conflicts of Interest
You don't currently have access to this content
4.6 Digital Misconduct
You don't currently have access to this content
4.7 Consequences of Professionalism Lapses
You don't currently have access to this content
4.8 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 5: Reflection, Insight, and Remediation in Professionalism Cases
5.1 Reflection — Honest Self-Examination
You don't currently have access to this content
5.2 Insight — Recognising Seriousness and Impact
You don't currently have access to this content
5.3 Remediation — Taking Corrective Action
You don't currently have access to this content
5.4 Weak vs Strong Responses
You don't currently have access to this content
5.5 Integration of Reflection, Insight, and Remediation
You don't currently have access to this content
5.6 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 6: Weak vs Strong Demonstrations of Professionalism
6.1 Documentation Falsification
You don't currently have access to this content
6.2 Overtreatment for Financial Gain
You don't currently have access to this content
6.3 Breach of Confidentiality
You don't currently have access to this content
6.4 Boundary Violation
You don't currently have access to this content
6.5 Disrespectful Communication
You don't currently have access to this content
6.6 Key Features of Strong Professional Responses
You don't currently have access to this content
6.7 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 7: Case Studies — Professionalism Across Dental Contexts
7.1 Community Dentistry — Overtreatment
You don't currently have access to this content
7.2 Hospital Dentistry — Poor Communication
You don't currently have access to this content
7.3 Corporate Dentistry — Commercial Pressure
You don't currently have access to this content
7.4 Tele-Dentistry — Confidentiality Breach
You don't currently have access to this content
7.5 Academic/Research Setting — Data Integrity
You don't currently have access to this content
7.6 Lessons Across Contexts
You don't currently have access to this content
7.7 Reflective Quiz
You don't currently have access to this content
Section 8: Professionalism in Communication, Documentation, and Digital Practice
8.1 Professional Communication
You don't currently have access to this content