CATEGORY 68 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST As dental practitioners, it should come naturally to us to undertake our daily clinical tasks in an ethical way. ere are decisions we make every day that ask us to make an evaluation of both clinical and non-clinical aspects of our role in order to do “what is right” and “what is best” for our patients. Having ethics is crucial in the dental and medical elds because they help protect patients and your clinical practice too. Performing procedures for the right reasons and prioritising each patient’s best interests are essential for providing the safest care possible. On July 1, 2023, new AHPRA guidelines were established that help to support and guide practitioners in their treatment of patients. Many dental practitioners, like myself, are undertaking cosmetic injectable procedures to improve dental outcomes, and enhance results with skin treatments. ese rules apply to both the cosmetic injectable treatments we do, but also the other cosmetic procedures we perform in the role of traditional dentistry. Often the lines are blurred between clinical need and aesthetic desires, and it can be harder to judge the ethical way forward. In this article, I am going to focus on aesthetic non-surgical cosmetic treatments, but really you could apply these principles to your clinical treatments too. What are ethics in Non-surgical cosmetic treatments? Ethics is a system of principles that are based on our obligation to put the patient rst, undertake the best treatment, based CLINICAL on trust, honesty and actively “doing good”. is applies to our interactions with our patients, our sta and our dental and medical colleagues. We all bene t from ethics. I know that ethics for me is determined by my sense of doing what is right, even when no one is looking. It is important in both my clinical interactions, and those interactions that I have when I am teaching practitioners in the science and art of injectable treatments. The key principles of ethics Ethics pillar 1: Patient Autonomy. Technology has revolutionized the aesthetic medical industry. Procedures are safer, more e ective and have better results than decades ago. Whether it is because of social media or just knowledge that treatments exist around improving one’s image and appearance, these advancements have increased the desire for aesthetic cosmetic treatments. Unlike traditional clinical practice, where practitioners treat illnesses and injuries, aesthetic treatments are considered elective. All patients have the right to decide whether to undergo a procedure. Patient autonomy is even more important in aesthetic cosmetic injectable treatments, where patients can elect to have non-surgical intervention to enhance or correct. You can support patient autonomy by helping each individual make informed decisions. You should explain each procedure’s risks in detail and inform each patient about the procedures you undertake and its bene ts. Each decision should be a partnership between you and your patient, and you should always provide all of the necessary information without pressuring your patient into a procedure. Ethics pillar 2: Non Maleficence Non Male cence is you duty to do no harm. And in order to do this, this requires several approaches: a. Stay up-to-date with your education. I know that many practitioners that enter into the injectable space undertake a short course. At Dermal Distinction Academy, you have months to go through and grasp the theoretical aspects of anatomy, the techniques and pharmaceuticals, and also the complications that may occur and how to deal with them. e practitioners that commit to training in a new procedure need time to learn. Time to absorb. Time to review and revise. And our theoretical learning is supported by detailed videos, scienti c journal articles and more. Whenever there is an update in guidelines, such as those that occurred on July 1, our material is also updated. is is so important. You need to be competent to undertake treatment. b. Recency of practice. Not only should you be up-to-date, but you need to ensure that you continually apply yourself to the treatments you do. It is not good enough to take a course years ago, have a pause in your treatments and then start o ering procedures. Clinical practice is a continual process of learning, updating, re ning of skills and practice. c. Withdrawing when required. If you are not well or too tired, or your team are not well or not performing their best, you will not perform to your best standard. Ethically you should reschedule your patients to a day and time where you will do your best work. I know that this can be hard as you feel nancial pressures, but it is our obligation to do no harm. Sometimes this means, delay the treatment. d. Screening for Body Dysmorphia. Ethical integrity and a patient’s best interest are vital in the practice of Ethical Aesthetics Dr Giulia D’Anna By Dr Giulia D’Anna, BDSc, MRACDS, FIADFE, Grad. Dip. Derm. Ther Cert IV TAE, Grad. Cert laser, Email: giulia@dermaldistinction.com.au
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