Code of Ethics

• Ethics


  A system of moral principles or values
• Code of Ethics


  The rules or standards governing the conduct of members of a profession
• Ethics


  The accepted principles of right or wrong
• Sections of the Code of Ethics

  • Duty to the Community (Section 1-11)
  • Duty to the Profession (Section 12-18)
  • Practice Management (Section 19-21)
  • Membership in the Dental Association (Section 22)
  • Disciplinary Action (Section 23-24)
  • Separability, Repealing, Effectivity Clauses (Section 25-27)
• Primary Duty


  Serve the public by giving best professional service in accordance with established standards of care, conducted in a manner befitting a professional of high esteem
• Emergency Service

  1. ONLY attend to the conditions leading to the emergency

  2. Upon completion, return the patient to original dentist

  3. Inform original dentist of the conditions found and treated
• Delegation of Service

  1. He/she shall only delegate services to duly licensed dentist, licensed dental hygienist, or licensed dental technologist in his/her employ

  2. He/she shall at all times be responsible for the actions of his/her employ at the areas of his/her jurisdictions during assigned clinic/duty hours
• Supervision of Work

  1. Supervise associates and auxiliaries in the performance of their duties

  2. Assure delivery of quality standards of care
• Professional Fees


  • Dentist shall ascertain fees for his/her professional services taking into consideration the nature of the case, his/her expertise, efforts, skills and materials involved
  • Discuss the treatment plan, options, and corresponding fees
  • Give credence to his/her work, and therefore, establish his/her professional fees rendering due dignity to the profession
• Irreproachable Conduct


  • Shall conduct himself/herself in a manner completely above suspicion or reproach
  • Shall not allow his/her name to cover up illegal acts, misrepresentation, or provide certification without due basis
• Discoveries of Work

  Dentist, dental hygienist, and dental technologist must make available their discoveries, inventions, or works which are useful in safeguarding or promoting health, subject to government regulatory laws
• Oral Health Care Program

  1. Participate in programs designed for oral health education and care

  2. Volunteer programs for the delivery of oral health services in underserved and underprivileged areas
• Leadership

  Dentist, dental hygienist, and dental technologist shall make available to the community their skills, knowledge, and experiences, particularly in the field of specialty
• Bioethics


  1. Research projects involving procedure in the oral cavity must conform to international ethical standards

  2. Considering the human rights of the subjects

  3. Duly informing them of the outcome and risks of the study

  4. Signed informed consent at the onset of the study and instances where changes in the research protocol are made

  5. Parental consent for minors
• Records Keeping

  1. Obtain baseline medical and dental record for all patients

  2. Record must include treatment plan, diagnostic records, consent form, medical clearance

  3. Safekeeping for at least 10 years
• Continuing Professional Development


  1. To continually enhance professional competence

  2. Shall pursue continuing education programs offered by the Philippine Dental Association and CPE providers duly accredited by the Board of Dentistry and the PRC
• Continuing Professional Education Development Credits (CDEC)


  Must complete a minimum of sixty (60) Continuing Education/Development Credit units every three (3) years prior to the renewal of his Professional Identification Card
• Preceptorship


  1. The Board of Dentistry shall directly regulate the establishment and conduct of training delivered independently by an individual or group of dental professionals

  2. Training must be conducted in a school duly recognized by the Commission on Higher Education or hospital duly recognized by the Department of Health as a training hospital
• Specialty Group

  1. Each Specialty Society shall apply to the Board of Dentistry for accreditation

  2. Each Specialty Society must evolve its own system of accreditation of its members subject to the approval of the Board and the Commission

  3. Accredit training programs under its area of specialization

  4. Monitor the different specialty programs and preceptorship
• Evidence of Professional Credentials

  1. Displayed in the clinic or reception room: school diploma, certificate of registration, professional identification card, certificates and of training residency, certificate of proficiency

  2. Displayed separately in the dentist's private office only: Plaques, Testimonials, Certificates of Appreciation
• Duty to Report

  1. Report all violations of the "Philippine Dental Act of 2007", rules and regulations and this Code

  2. May be committed by a duly licensed dentist, dental hygienist, or dental technologist, or non-Dentist

  3. Report to the appropriate chapter or affiliate society, the Board, or the Professional Regulation Commission

  4. Alleged illegal dental practitioners must be treated with due respect in accordance to their primary human rights and must be presumed innocent until proven guilty
• Professional Consultation and Referral

  1. Seek consultation or make a referral whenever the welfare of the patient requires recourse to those who possess appropriate professional expertise

  2. Consultant shall discuss the details of the case management to the referring dentist and patient

  3. Consultant shall observe and manage post-operative conditions and refer the patient back to the referring dentist after the management of the cause of the referral
• Transfer of Patients

  1. Proper endorsement to another dentist with proper release of documents

  2. Certification of Release must include extent of work rendered and absence/presence of obligation from the previous dentist

  3. Entire referral process: properly documented and entered into the records of both dentists

  4. Receiving dentist shall inform the previous dentist of the said intent of transfer

  5. Receiving dentist must generate own record as baseline information for the treatment

  6. Convey commitment to provide emergency dental care until such time that the patient can transfer to another dentist
• Justifiable Criticism


  Report to the appropriate authority or professional societies gross and continual faulty treatment by another dentist
• Responsible Comments

  • Limit comments within the nature of the referral or consultation
  • Refrain from criticizing the skill knowledge and experience of another dentist in the presence of a patient or lack of accurate knowledge of the conditions or circumstances under which the services were rendered
• Expert Testimony

  1. Dentist rendering expert testimony in cases of litigations

  2. Limit comments to the case

  3. Avoid undue criticism to defame or discredit the other
• Performance of Obligations

  • Perform all obligations in good faith and with due diligence
  • Not to undermine the prestige of the profession
• Testimonials


  • Consider the dignity of the dental profession before providing professional opinion or endorsement of professional and/or proprietary products and techniques
  • Not give direct testimonials or endorsement of products for the delivery of dental care
• Fair Means to Build Professional Practice


  • Use fair means to gain professional advancement
  • Not injure the opportunities of other dental practitioners
  • Not make false claims of one's competency
• Title of the Practice

  • Shall only use the term "Clinic" or "Office" in reference to the dental practice
  • Name of the practice shall conform to the high esteem of the profession, avoiding commercialized names, which may be inappropriate to the profession
• Signages

  1. Quality and quantity: decent and dignified, conform with regulations of the local government code, state the nature of the dental practice, may include the name of the dentist and clinic hours

  2. Must not appear: "X-ray", "Gas", "Air-abrasive", "dental laboratory", "air- conditioned", misleading claims of the dentist

  3. Must comply with the use of only one size of lettering regularly used by the tenants in said building when placing upon the directory board of an office building
• Use of Professional Titles and Degrees

  Shall use only the usual titles and academic degrees in connection with his/her name or signature such as "Doctor", "Dentist", "DDS", "DMD", "DDM"
• Professional Stationery


  1. Cards, Letterheads and Announcements

  2. Professional Cards: traditional size and type, name, academic degree, address, telephone number and office hours, "practice limited to..."

  3. Telephone and other Directories

  4. Electronically Generated Communications
• Newspaper Announcement

  1. Only when opening a new clinic, when changing location, limiting the character of his/her practice, not be larger than 2 column by 2 column inches

  2. Announcements in print, website, e-cards, and other electronic form of communication posted within thirty (30) days from the date of opening

  3. Announcement cards may be sent
• Membership and Financial Support

  • Be active members of the Philippine Dental Association, (PDA) Inc.
  • Membership requires financial support in reasonable amount fixed by the association and chapter
• Judicial Committee

  1. Violation of this Code and the interpretation or construction of any provision may be resolved by the Chapter or Affiliate Society

  2. PDA President shall endorse to or file with the Board of Dentistry
• Sanctions

  1. Board shall conduct the administrative investigation upon a complaint

  2. Shall impose the disciplinary action: nullification or suspension of the certificate of registration and professional identification card, cancellation of a temporary/special permit issued to a foreign dentist
• Section 25. Separability Clause
• Section 26. Repealing Clause: Board Resolution No. 60, Series of 1983 is repealed
• Section 27. Effectivity: Take effect after fifteen (15) days following the full and complete publication