Ethics

Ethics Summit I

Ethics Summit I Marks New Beginning!

Over 80 participants from 54 different organizations recently participated in Ethics Summit I. The goal of the summit was to promote ethical dialogue, conduct, and reasoning within the greater dental community. The conference was unique and was the first time that leaders from all these different constituencies met in an interactive format to establish a baseline dialogue in ethics. Attending organizations included those representing generalists, specialists, assistants, hygienists, laboratory technicians, administrators, manufacturers, suppliers, educators, researchers, board examiners, publishers, insurers, federal service, and more. The conference was supported financially by a variety of benefactors. Participants strongly endorsed the need for a structure which would permit continuing discussion of common, but complex issues facing the many stakeholders in oral health.

Ethics Summit I, sponsored by the American College of Dentists, was held April 24-25, 1998 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in St. Louis. The summit was moderated by Dr. David W. Chambers, Associate Dean, University of the Pacific. The four facilitators included Dr. Thomas K. Hasegawa, Jr., Associate Dean, Baylor College of Dentistry; Dr. David T. Ozar, Professor, Loyola University of Chicago; Dr. Bruce N. Peltier, Associate Professor, University of the Pacific; and Dr. Donald E. Patthoff, former president of the Professional Ethics in Dentistry Network. Dr. Nuala P. Kenny of Dalhousie University, a widely recognized ethicist, provided the rousing keynote presentation, "Codes and Character: The Pillars of Professionalism."

A pre-survey was utilized to narrow the focus of the summit to four perspectives, the role of codes, conflicting values, response to unethical behavior, and defining the ethical organization. Significant progress was made in identifying the ethical issues and recommendations related to these four perspectives. However, it was widely agreed that a follow-up Ethics Summit II is required to continue the process. Ethics Summit II was tentatively planned for the 1999-2000 timeframe. The proceedings of Ethics Summit I were published in the fall issue of the Journal of the American College of Dentists.

Ethics Summit II

Focus on the Ethics Alliance of Oral Health Organizations

On January 28-29, 2000, the American College of Dentists sponsored Ethics Summit II in Nashville, Tennessee. The goal of Ethics Summit II was to pursue and develop the concept of the Ethics Alliance of Oral Health Organizations to a level suitable for formal review and action by participating organizations. The summit had six prioritized objectives:

1. Define the common interests of member organizations.
2. Develop a mission and structure for the Ethics Alliance of Oral Health Organizations that considers the issues raised in the first objective.
3. Identify the process to implement the Alliance, including formal review and approval by the controlling authorities of the member organizations.
4. Establish the process for developing a common code of ethics among organizations, or, at a minimum, a common core of ethical principles that is mutually agreeable.
5. Identify the means of financing the Alliance.
6. a) Identify areas of potential conflict and suggest possible mechanisms for reconciling differences; b) Ethics Alliance Issue—determine if there is sufficient interest in the attending organizations to proceed with establishing the Ethics Alliance.

Leaders participated from nearly 60 organizations representing virtually all sectors of the greater oral health care delivery system. Included were organizations representing organized dentistry, manufacturers, suppliers, insurers, academics, research, government service, board examiners, hygienists, assistants, general practice, specialists, and more.

Dr. Patricia H. Werhane, Ruffin Professor of Business Ethics at the Darden School of Business Administration, provided the thought provoking keynote presentation, "Sustaining Alliances for Integrity." Dr. Werhane commented that an ethics alliance representing an entire segment of health care was truly a unique and groundbreaking endeavor. She repeatedly stressed the significance of the summit. Breakout groups were used, along with electronic voting, to address the previously mentioned objectives. The facilitators for the breakout groups included Dr. Joseph A. Draude, Dr. Bruce S. Graham, Dr. Gerald R. Winslow, and Dr. D. Scott Navarro. Each group also used a subject matter expert, Dr. David T. Ozar, Dr. Bruce N. Peltier, Dr. Donald E. Patthoff, and Dr. Thomas K. Hasegawa. Dr. David W. Chambers expertly moderated the summit.

The six prioritized objectives were discussed in a lively and thought provoking fashion. The mission for the Ethics Alliance, as developed at the summit, is to promote ethical conduct throughout all aspects of the oral health care system. The participants voted that the American College of Dentists would continue to coordinate future Alliance meetings (73%). Participants also voted that they would assemble a representative advisory committee to help develop the future agenda (83%). The advisory committee is in the process of being assembled. In a final vote, 97% of participants voted to proceed with the Ethics Alliance of Oral Health Organizations. The summit was supported by generous contributions from foundations and industry. Proceedings of the Ethics Summit II will be published in March in the Journal of the American College of Dentists.

The next meeting will not be a "summit," rather it will be the first meeting of the Ethics Alliance. It is anticipated that this will take place in the next 18-24 months.