Ethics Corner

Code of Ethics

Dental hygienists work in interprofessional collaborative environments. They are accountable to codes of ethics, in conjunction with professional standards, workplace policies, and laws and regulations that guide practices and behaviours. In achieving these requirements, they fulfill their contract with society to meet a high standard of ethical practice. Read the report describing the development of the Code of Ethics.

The CDHA Code of Ethics sets out the ethical principles and responsibilities which apply to all members of the dental hygiene profession across all practice areas including clinical care, education, research, administration and any other role related to the profession of dental hygiene.

In addition, the Ethical Guidelines for Educators helps educators to make professional decisions. It is grounded in 6 ethical principles and provides a framework of shared values.

Oh Canada! Talking Ethics

Oh Canada! is our membership-based publication that provides a forum for the communication of dental hygiene and oral health information, as well as product information and association news. Each issue contains a "Talking Ethics" column where members share common ethical dilemmas encountered during dental hygiene practice. Authors offer insight and share experiences about how to approach these complex cases. Read the articles by selecting the year below:

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2025

Ethical Practice Developments in Dental Hygiene Between 2021 and 2024

As dental hygienists, we believe and trust in the process of assessment and evaluation as a methodology towards improvement. We acknowledge the profession’s leaders responsible for the strategic assessment, analysis, and evaluation of the Canadian oral health care environment, namely the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada, the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA), the provincial dental hygiene associations, our colleagues, and independent dental hygienist practitioners who identify the gaps in health and oral health care and provide various practice models of care for the public.

Misrepresentation of Workplace Safety as an Ethical Issue

Workplace safety insurance is a fundamental aspect of occupation protection, ensuring that employees with work-related injuries or illnesses receive medical attention, financial support, and assistance with return-to-work programs. Provincial labour laws mandate coverage only for industries classified as having a high risk for injury. The Dental Research Journal states, “dentistry is considered by the practitioners and most of the public as being extremely hazardous.” Yet, dentistry is exempt from participating in mandatory provincial workplace safety insurance programs.

2024

Upholding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Is an Ethical Responsibility

In September 2024, CDHA released a revised version of the Dental Hygienists’ Code of Ethics,1 integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into its guidance for the profession. As self-regulated health professionals, dental hygienists have an ethical responsibility not only to stay current with evolving codes of ethics but also to incorporate them into daily practice, ensuring a safe, non-judgmental environment for our clients/patients.

Professional Evolution Mandates Interprofessional Collaboration

Our profession has earned the trust and respect of the “multicultural, multigendered public” (my phrase) and the allied health care professionals, due to our Process of Care, diligent oral and overall health education, and health promotion competence.

Helping Older Adults Achieve Optimal Oral and Overall Health: Our Ethical Duty

As a person ages, their need to access health care services increases. At the same time, however, their ability to access these services decreases.

2023

Ignorance of Frailty and Palliative Oral Care

Ignorance of palliative dental hygiene oral care (PDHOC) is an ethical issue because it may lead to inadequate care and unnecessary suffering. When health care providers or caregivers are unaware of the importance of appropriate oral care techniques, inadequate or substandard care can result. Clients, patients, and/or residents of long-term care homes may experience pain and discomfort, which are both avoidable and ethically problematic.

The Strength of Our Professional Advocacy Serves the Vulnerable Members of Society

Canada’s new federal dental care program ranks highest in the ongoing advocacy work of the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) on behalf of the profession and vulnerable people in Canada. The theme of this issue of Oh Canada! is “Treating vulnerable populations,” including medically compromised clients, clients in remote communities, and seniors.

Targeted Production Goals Affecting Access to Care

Overinflated targeted production goals in dental hygiene practice management are affecting access to care and presenting dental hygienists with an ethical dilemma. The topic should not be a whispered discussion among dental hygienists, but rather should be honestly framed so the narrative can be directed towards finding an ethical solution that sustains access to quality care and removes barriers to upholding the principles and responsibilities outlined in the Dental Hygienists’ Code of Ethics.

2022

The Necessary Steps to Being Culturally Competent

Society’s mores change over time as the values and attitudes of the public evolve. Governments create legislation and policies that reflect these deeply held values to meet the needs of the public. They communicate their intentions through various departments and ministries to regulatory authorities and boards. As self-regulated primary health care providers to Canadians of all races and ethnicities, dental hygienists are mandated to be culturally competent, avoid discrimination, and put the needs of their clients and students first.

Counterfeit and Non-Compliant Dental Products an Increasing Issue: How Much Do You Know About the Products You Use Every Day?

As dental hygienists, you should take to time to get to know the source of products and materials used in your practice. Too often price dictates buying decisions. Everyone is looking for a good deal, but do you really know the product you are using and understand the support system behind the product? What would happen if an adverse client event took place?

2021

Oral & Oropharyngeal Cancer Screening Is Not a Choice

As dental hygienists and regulated health care professionals, we are entrusted with the oral health care of our community. Our responsibility and accountability to safeguard public health and well-being are the cornerstone of our profession. Canadians are counting on us!

Ethical Responsibilities of a Mobile Independent Dental Hygiene Practice

Launching a mobile independent dental hygiene practice is no small feat. It requires ingenuity, perseverance, and a significant amount of problem-solving skills. In particular, as my fellow mobile independent dental hygienists already know, our ethical responsibilities as health care professionals do not decrease in any way simply because we are now mobile. We still have the same ethical responsibilities as dental hygienists practising in a clinical setting, but now the onus is on us to ensure we have the means to meet the necessary standards of practice while on the move.

Professionalism and Ethics During the COVID-19 Pandemic

There is nothing normal about life right now. Some parts of the world are open for business, some have limitations and safety restrictions in place, and others are in complete lockdowns with various industries closed until further notice. We as oral health professionals are already accustomed to very strict infection control standards, but even we have stepped it up a notch: now donning N95s, face shields, and very fashionable bouffants.

2020

Can Personal Social Media Use Affect Our Professional Lives?

Fifteen years ago, if someone had used the term “social media,” would you have known what it meant? I know I wouldn’t have. The evolution of social media platforms in that short period of time has changed how we interact with one another.

The Challenge: Maintaining the Public Trust

The global society has been changed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as the risks of cross-contamination and importance of infection control are now more clearly known and understood by people of different cultures, age groups, and economic status. This heightened awareness could weaken public trust in the ability to receive safe, effective dental hygiene care now and in the future.

Are You an Employee or a Contractor?

The distinction between an employee and a contractor is not a trivial one. It has implications not only for you but also for the practice(s) in which you work. How you choose to be designated will affect your rights and obligations, as well as the way in which your income is taxed and the deductions available to you. Being paid as a contractor when you are really an employee could expose you (and the practice) to significant liability to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

2019

Assurance of Quality

It appears the phrase "quality assurance requirements" continues to create feelings of anxiety for many dental hygienists. We all know that maintaining competence includes a commitment to be a lifelong learner. In order to grow, we need to embrace the significant changes that are coming to our profession.

Intimidation. Coercion. Mistreatment. Bullying. Harassment.

The Canadian Human Rights Commission, established in 1977, aims to ensure that everyone in Canada is treated fairly, no matter who they are.1 According to the commission, harassment is a form of discrimination that comprises unwelcome remarks, jokes, threats or intimidation based on your race, religion, sex, age, disability. Any unwelcome physical contact, such as touching, patting or pinching, is also considered harassment.

Cannabis Conversations: Your Ethical Obligations

Do you have any personal biases against the recreational or medicinal use of cannabis that would interfere with your professional responsibilities? Our life experiences and worldview inform our opinions and create bias. Yet, as regulated oral health care professionals, our obligation is to provide relevant, objective information from credible sources when communicating with clients, groups, and communities. We must always seek out appropriate, professional resources to acquire new knowledge and enhance our health promotion efforts.

2018

Online Education, Part 2: Ethical Responsibilities of Students - Winter 2018

Part 2 is a complement to Part 1: Ethical Responsibilities of Online Instructors, which was published in the Summer 2018 issue (pages 45–46). It must be emphasized that ethical responsibilities are intertwined and each affects the other in an online learning environment: the classroom, the educational institution, the instructor, and the student. For example, in Part 1 various aspects of privacy breaches, confidentiality, access, and cultural sensitivity were discussed. All parties are affected and all parties are part of the solution.

Online Education, Part 1: Ethical Responsibilities of Instructors - Summer 2018

The intent of this contribution is to discuss briefly, and by no means fully, the ethical responsibilities of instructors and students in the online education classroom context. Part 1 introduces the ethical obligations of instructors teaching online; Part 2 in the Fall/Winter issue will explore the same subject as it pertains to online students.

“I Think It Was Missed Because I Was Not A Smoker” - Spring 2018

During our dental hygiene studies we were meticulous about assessing the submandibular, submental, and occipital lymph nodes. We palpated on either side of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and felt the differences to the temporalis and masseter muscles, and we assessed the temporomandibular joints while asking the client to open and close.

2017

Dental Radiographs: Rights and Responsibilities - Fall/Winter 2017

There are many questions that the dental hygienist should consider when exposing clients to radiation. When a radiograph is prescribed, the dental hygienist must understand why the radiograph is necessary, how many radiographs are required, how much exposure to radiation the client will receive, and if the client has received radiation exposure recently from other medical procedures.

By Prescription: Integrating Use of Medical Cannabis into the Medical Health Review - Summer 2017

On August 5, 2016, the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act was amended to include the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulation (SOR/2016- 230) (ACMPR).1 The process documented in the ACMPR is more transparent, and patients are now able to legally obtain, use, and carry cannabis for medical purposes after registering with Health Canada.

Public Health Ethics: The Case of Community Water Fluoridation - Spring 2017

Dental hygienists play a vital role in protecting and promoting the health of individuals, communities, and populations. As regulated health professionals practisingin variety of settings, dental hygienists encounter ethical challenges when faced with situations requiring a balance of opposing values, beliefs, and obligations.

2016

Is it Elder Abuse? - Fall/Winter 2016

We accept that, as self-regulated professionals, dental hygienists are obligated to provide for the well-being of their clients and society as a whole. Using the Process of Care model (Figure 1) in this situation is a systematic way to determine your next step.

Responsibility Without Power: The Dilemma of Privacy Compliance for Canadian Dental Hygienists - Summer 2016

The Dental Hygienists’ Code of Ethics states that a dental hygienist’s primary responsibility is “to the client.” Furthermore, dental hygienists are bound to conduct themselves in accordance with applicable laws and guidelines, and are mandated to report non-compliance that they may witness.

To Refer or Not to Refer: Is that the Question? - Spring 2016

Oral cancer changes a person’s life. The impact of an oral cancer diagnosis on the individual, their family, friends, and community is significant. Yet cancer survival rates are improving, thanks to early detection, improved access to care, and recent enhancements in treatment protocols.1 Dental hygienists, as primary care providers or practitioners in health care, provide dental hygiene care according to our regulatory body, scope of practice, and code of ethics.

2015

Web 2.0: The Blurred Line Between vProfessional and Private - Winter 2015

The term “social media” (also known as Web 2.0) describes Internet-based technologies that allow users to interact and collaborate with others online. These applications include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. With this interactivity, social media is viewed as the interface of new technology and social communication to create (or co-create) new knowledge.1 Social media is a wonderful tool for the dissemination of health information, as well as for engaging professionals to connect, communicate, and share resources in various platforms.

Don’t Get Distresed Dealing With the Ethical Dilemmas of Practice - Fall/Winter 2015

As health care providers we have a duty to ensure that we are giving our clients the best possible advice based on the best possible evidence. Yet what is our role when an emerging trend gains rapid popularity in the absence of sufficient high-quality evidence of safety and long-term consequences?

Friend or Foe: The E-Cigarette Conundrum? - Summer 2015

As health care providers we have a duty to ensure that we are giving our clients the best possible advice based on the best possible evidence. Yet what is our role when an emerging trend gains rapid popularity in the absence of sufficient high-quality evidence of safety and long-term consequences?

Do You Suspect Family Violence or Child Abuse? - Spring 2015

Family violence is an important issue that affects many Canadians across the country. According to the Government of Canada’s February 20th media release announcing $100 million in funding to support victims of violence and their children

2014

Grey Markets: Do You Need to Be Concerned? - Fall 2014

Dental supplies are regulated products under the Food and Drugs Act and Medical Devices Regulations. When a company wishes to sell products from a specific manufacturer, and the manufacturer will not authorize them to sell those products, the company will often obtain the products through other means and sell them anyway. The marketplace for such unauthorized products is commonly referred to as the “grey market.”

Ethics of Advertising: What’s Wrong with Freebies? - Summer 2014

We have all noticed advertisements offering free teeth whitening to new clients. It seems harmless enough and a tempting inducement to attract new clients. However, such incentives may not be ethically sound or adhere to your college regulatory guidelines with respect to advertising.

Ethical Advertising and Fee Discounts - Spring 2014

As the number of dental hygienists practising independently grows across Canada, dental hygienists may believe that they must offer “something special” to attract clients. Unfortunately, some dental hygienists inadvertently undertake inappropriate advertising activities, which are in conflict with the principles outlined in the Dental Hygienists’ Code of Ethics and may result in an investigation from dental hygiene regulatory bodies

2013

That’s What Friends Are For? - Fall 2013

One of your close friends is having difficulty completing her continuing competency requirements for her regulatory college. The deadline to submit proof of completion of professional development activities is looming. Your friend knows that you have successfully completed an online course that she is currently enrolled in but does not have the time to complete on her own. She asks you to sign into the exam under her ID and complete the exam for her. She promises to learn all of the material once her life circumstances change.

Interprofessional Collaboration and the Circle of Care; Ethically and legally speaking - Summer 2013

The public expects their health care professionals to collaborate and put their interests first. For more than fifty years, Canadian dental hygienists have provided ethical care to their clients within a cooperative team-oriented framework. With the evolution of the profession and recognition by provincial governments to legislate self-regulation, dental hygienists are obligated to accept more responsibilities on behalf of the public.

2012

CDHA Releases Revised Code of Ethics - Fall 2012

CDHA’s Dental Hygienists’ Code of Ethics, revised June 2012 is the cornerstone of dental hygienists’ commitment to ethics. It sets down ethical principles and responsibilities for the dental hygiene profession. It also helps define accepted behaviours, promotes high standards of practice, provides a benchmark for members to use in self evaluation, and establishes a framework for professional behaviour and responsibilities. All CDHA members are required to understand and comply with the code and follow its guidelines in their practice.

Honesty: Everyone’s So Untrue - Summer 2012

I once made a conscious thought to keep track of how many times I lied in one day. I included those times when I stretched the truth, and told what is commonly called “white lies”. The number was staggering.

CDHA Code of Ethics Review - Spring 2012

In 2002, CDHA developed a Code of Ethics that serves as a foundation for ethical practice in dental hygiene. This document sets down the ethical principles and ethical practice standards of the dental hygiene profession. Clients, colleagues, and the public expect dental hygienists to be guided by, and to be accountable under, the principles articulated in this Code. Although the primary users of the Code of Ethics are CDHA members who are employed in a variety of practice settings, some dental hygiene regulatory authorities and provincial associations adopt the CDHA Code of Ethics as their provincial Code of Ethics. Dental hygienists are accountable to other codes of ethics/ethical guidelines including those of their provincial regulatory authority and their work place.