Medical Ethics: Are Patients Better Off Not Knowing?

“Even though that sounds unethical to outsiders, that is not only true in dentistry but throughout medicine. It’s just that nobody talks about it.”

I’ve acquired a taste for openly discussing important taboo topics that other dentists don’t dare touch even with each other.

For example, yesterday Dr. Margaret Scarlet mentioned the danger of Bisphenol A (BisGMA), a common component of plastic dental materials. The hardening additive resembles estrogen and has the potential for endocrine disruption. http://boards.medscape.com/forums?128@368.wdeEa8ZFW9X@.2a097e4b!comment=1  

Even though Dr. Scarlett’s MedScape blog article concerned MSDS sheets and employee safety. I took it in a different direction:

“Here’s a situation: A patient expresses fear of mercury in alloy fillings and would prefer to avoid them. Should that person be informed of the dangers of BPA, or would that cause only more unnecessary worry for the patient?

Is it the dentist’s right to make this decision for the patient? I think any dentist who has stared over the edge of this sinkhole knows that there are times when the patient is better off not knowing about possible risks.

Even though that sounds unethical to outsiders, that is not only true in dentistry but throughout medicine. It’s just that nobody talks about it.” ——- This could get interesting. Or it could just be more of the same old silence.

Regardless, some readers might find pleasure from the fact that I make dentists uncomfortable. I know I do. D. Kellus

Pruitt DDS

Editor’s Note: Dr. Pruitt is a Ft. Worth based dentist.