A Survey of Patient Perceptions of Consent within a Military Dental Treatment Setting
Abstract
Operating under the assumption that patients did not have the requisite specialized knowledge and experience to make major medical decisions for themselves, healthcare practice in the West maintained a largely paternalistic attitude until the later 20th century (Wolfendale).However, in recent decades, Western healthcare has progressed toward a more patient-centered model; a significant part of this shift has been a strengthened concept of the role of consent within the treatment experience (Umar). Indeed, in most modern healthcare settings, consent has become an ethical-- and legal-- mandate (Umar). This is the case in dentistry as it has been in dentistry as it has been in medicine at large (King). In a military setting, however, patients and clinicians may face barriers to consent that do not exist in civilian setting (Wolfendale), and dentists serving in this setting need to be cognizant of potential limitations and patient perceptions regarding consent in this environment. The principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and autonomy form the philosophical backbone of modern biomedical ethics (Main). The modern concept of informed consent primarily derives from the principle of autonomy-- though other philosophical models resting on justice or non-maleficence have also been proposed (Main, ONeill). Indeed, absolute autonomy may be undesirable when weighed against the other principles; nonetheless, it is generally considered ideal that the patients wishes and goals-- supported by scientific evidence and clinical opinion-- form the basis of a shared treatment decision between patient and clinician (Main). Consent has three components essential to its validity: capacity, knowledge, and voluntariness (Umar, King). The first, capacity, demands that the patient be able to understand what they are being told and be competent to make decisions for themselves (Umar, King).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 04, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1183216
Entities
People
- K. Lindsey
- Peter H Vogen
- S. Delgado
- T. Beltran
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
- Womack Army Medical Center