CV
Dr. Funda Gülay Kadıoğlu graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Dentistry, then completed her doctorate in Medical Ethics at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine and doctorate/specialization training in Orthodontics at Çukurova University Faculty of Dentistry. She currently serves as a faculty member at Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Dentistry. She is a founding member of the Turkish Bioethics Association, a board member of the Medical Ethics and Law Association, and a member of the International Dental Law and Ethics Society and the Turkish Orthodontic Society. She is the chairperson of the Ethics Committee of the Turkish Dental Association She has articles and chapter authorships in national and international journals and books. Her areas of interest include “ethical dilemmas in dentistry”, “ethical decision-making process in clinics”, “decision-making capacity in adolescents”, “sustainability in dentistry”, “bioethics”, “healthcare politics” and “gender inequality”.
ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IN DENTISTRY
During their daily professional practices, dentists often find themselves having to make decisions. In some cases, it may be relatively easy to make a professional decision and justify it with the advanced technological capabilities of contemporary dental science. However, it can be very challenging to come to a decision about ethical issues that cannot be solved solely through medical approaches. These decisions may involve choices between conflicting values while providing care for patients. These values should be carefully considered by dentists during treatment planning and included in the decision-making process for the best interest of the patient.
Besides both clinical knowledge and skill, the success of dental care and patient satisfaction depend on the dentist's ethical attitudes and behaviors. When ethics is disregarded in the decision-making process involved in medical practice, one may face the risk of making decisions with weak ethical justification. Decisions with weak ethical justifications bring along unethical behaviors. Even a dentist acting unethically will damage the reputation of the profession. It is essential for doctors and dentists to emphasize their ethical attitudes and behaviors in their professional practices.
Dentists may require guidance to manage the ethical decision-making process. In this context the Turkish Dental Association’s Professional Ethics Code is a successful guide.