Becker's Dental + DSO Review

10 BECKER'S DENTAL + DSO REVIEW // VOL. 2022 NO. 1 CLINICAL CARE Dentists can ethically refuse care for unvaccinated patients, ADA says By Gabrielle Masson I t's not unethical for dentists to refuse care for unvaccinat- ed patients in some situations, according to an updated version of the American Dental Association Principles of Ethics & Code of Professional Conduct. Given the communicable nature of diseases such as measles and COVID-19, it is necessary to consider policies that ac- commodate those who choose not to be vaccinated, those who cannot be vaccinated and those who are actively ill, the update reads. "For example, a practitioner who treats a population of highly vulnerable patients, perhaps including some for whom vacci- nation is contraindicated, may conclude that the ethical obliga- tion to those patients outweighs the ethical obligation to those who willingly choose not to be vaccinated and therefore may present a higher risk to the other patients," said Robert Wilson, DDS, immediate past chair of the ADA Council on Ethics, By- laws and Judicial Affairs. "Perhaps a doctor or staff person has a condition that precludes inoculation and renders them high- ly vulnerable to significant morbidity or mortality. Because of these very specific and unique circumstances a blanket state- ment to the effect that dismissing or refusing to care for an unvaccinated patient is unethical would not be appropriate." Policies should respect the code's principles of autonomy, be- neficence and nonmaleficence and be fair to all involved, ac- cording to the ADA. "Refusal of care altogether or dismissing patients is not per se unethical, so long as necessary precautions are taken as may be dictated in your state and patient abandonment does not occur," the guidance reads. "However, this misses a teachable public health opportunity and an opportunity to build trust with patients and to 'use skills, knowledge, and experience for the improvement of the dental health of the public.'" Additionally, to avoid contributing to the spread of disease, dental professionals have an ethical obligation to be vaccinat- ed, unless they have a recognized medical contraindication, according to CDC and ADA guidelines. Personal negative feel- ings to vaccination don't outweigh a dentist's ethically and sci- entifically-based professional responsibility to limit the spread of harmful infectious diseases, the ADA says. n American Academy of Clear Aligners retracts prior statement, adds SmileDirect to organization By Gabrielle Masson N ashville, Tenn.-based SmileDirectClub is now a member of the American Academy of Clear Aligners, according to AACA's latest journal publication. In an article titled, "Retraction of the AACA Journal Editorial About SmileDirectClub," the AACA editorial staff retracted a previous story that contained misinformation about the clear aligner company. "The AACA was incorrect in stating that few dentists have been willing to participate in SmileDirectClub's Partner Network," the article reads. "In fact, as publicly stated by SmileDirectClub, 'Since announcing its Partner Network in 2020, more than 1,800 dental offices across the country have joined the network.'" In closing, the AACA states: "Helping patients to have better oral care is something all orthodontists can rally around, and bringing new ideas to the industry to make that possible is a laudable endeavor. We conclude by welcoming SmileDirectClub and their network of doctors to join the American Academy of Clear Aligners and look forward to an honest and robust ex- change of ideas and information. We can all learn from each other." n

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