How to answer this interview question?

[Cubelife]

Hello! I am wondering how one would answer the common ethical question " A woman comes into your clinic with perfectly healthy teeth, and wants them all extracted. What do you do?"

I feel that an ethical answer would be to refer the patient, but I'm honestly not sure.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Doctor.Toothfairy]

Education is key. You want to educate your patient on the importance and function of their teeth.

 

[macsak]

Hello! I am wondering how one would answer the common ethical question " A woman comes into your clinic with perfectly healthy teeth, and wants them all extracted. What do you do?"

I feel that an ethical answer would be to refer the patient, but I'm honestly not sure.

just say no...

 

[OMSDoc]

"...do no harm..."
- Hippocrates

People all the time will ask you do do the wrong thing...not just patients.

This is why I constantly tell my own kids "no"...so that they will learn to say "no" themselves.

 

[Faefly]

It's just that you explain to your patient how our own teeth are valuable and an implant or a denture can't compare to our real teeth.
If the patient insists on extracting the teeth, you simply decline.. Why should you extract her health teeth, this is not a store where the customer is always right!
If she has any pathology or phycological issues, you should refer her to the right doctor or dentist. Other than that, there is nothing else you can do about ...

 

[TanMan]

You guys forget one thing... hear the patient out first. Ask why do you want all your teeth out? Sometimes it is psychological, sometimes, they may be forced as sex workers, etc... You already know the answer of not doing harm, but hearing the patient out first shows you have empathy and concern for the patient's chief complaint, no matter how egregious it may be. Then you educate the patient about the importance of teeth and refer as needed.