Sir, I have just been reading through the GDC's Standards for dental professionals. The first standard states:
'Put patients' interests before your own or those of any colleague, organisation or business.'
Many dentists would believe that a course of night guard bleaching is more in the interest of a patient concerned about the colour of their teeth, than cutting precious tooth tissue to provide crowns or veneers. Unfortunately this choice could still lead to a six month prison sentence for any dentist that puts the interest of a patient over that of the Department of Trade and Industry. Surely it is time that this anomaly, demonstrating the difference between legality and ethics, was rectified?
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Thornley, P. Legality and ethics. Br Dent J 199, 547 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4812919
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4812919