ethics

Question 1

abandonment

Answer 1

discontinuation of a patient/provider relationship once it has been established

Question 2

abuse

Answer 2

any care or relationship that harms, pains, or causes mental anguish to another

Question 3

accreditation

Answer 3

a nongovernmental process for ensuring that a predetermined set of standards has been met; used to assure the public that the graduates of a particular program are prepared to practice

Question 4

allegation

Answer 4

an assertion, claim, or statement of an individual in a legal proceeding

Question 5

assault

Answer 5

threatening to harm an individual; a type of tort or civil wrong

Question 6

assent

Answer 6

permission granted by a minor or another person who is unable to give consent

Question 7

autonomous

Answer 7

independent and self- determining

Question 8

autonomy

Answer 8

the principle of self- determination in a person; the right to participate in and decide on a course of action without undue influence; provides the foundation for a right to privacy and the ability to choose

Question 9

battery

Answer 9

the commission of bodily harm against another person

Question 10

beneficence

Answer 10

the principle of promoting good or well-being

Question 11

breach of confidentiality

Answer 11

unauthorized release of confidential data, either spoken or written

Question 12

breach of contract

Answer 12

the act of breaking a contract, agreement, promise, or legal duty by failing to perform a promised or required act

Question 13

case law

Answer 13

common law; law determined by court judgments, not by legislation

Question 14

character

Answer 14

collectively, the qualities that define a person or group of persons; a person’s moral nature

Question 15

civil action

Answer 15

legal action taken to protect the private rights of individuals

Question 16

civil law

Answer 16

legal matters other than criminal ones; includes torts and contractual agreements

Question 17

civil rights

Answer 17

the rights granted residents of the United States by the Constitution and legislative acts passed after the Civil War; freedom of speed, the right to vote, and freedom from discrimination

Question 18

code of ethics

Answer 18

a set of rules or guidelines that address the ethical standards of a professional group

Question 19

competency

Answer 19

having the knowledge, skill, and ability to perform a prescribed set of tasks or duties independently and with confidence

Question 20

confidentiality

Answer 20

that which is entrusted or held in secret; the precept by which information shared by a patient during the course of receiving health care is kept in confidence by the health care provider

Question 21

consent

Answer 21

patient’s agreement to treatment; may be written, oral, or implied. A patient or guardian gives consent for a minor

Question 22

consequentialism

Answer 22

the theory that the rightness or wrongness of actions determined by consequences; also called teleology

Question 23

contributory negligence

Answer 23

an action or lack of action that contributes to the harm or injury of an individual and negatively affects his or her health status

Question 24

criminal action

Answer 24

a legal action taken in a court of law to protect society

Question 25

criminal law

Answer 25

a body of laws established for the purpose of preventing harm to society; describes what conduct is criminal and prescribes the punishment for criminal conduct; may be codified into criminal or penal codes

Question 26

defamation

Answer 26

the act of maliciously making a false statement that injures another’s reputation; termed libel if a written statement; slander if an oral statement

Question 27

defendant

Answer 27

a person being sued in a civil case or charged with a crime

Question 28

dental record

Answer 28

a written comprehensive, ongoing file of assessment findings, treatment rendered, notations, and contacts with the dental patient

Question 29

deposition

Answer 29

a discovery method, out of court, in which information is given under oath of testimony of a party or witness and recorded by a court reporter; can be subject to cross-examination

Question 30

discovery

Answer 30

the process by which or period during which each party involved in a lawsuit obtains information concerning the facts of the lawsuit; includes depositions, interrogations, and record copying

Question 31

discrimination

Answer 31

the act of treating persons differently based on factors they cannot control, such as age, handicapping conditions, race, or gender