Part four: Health professions

Except in emergencies and in cases where he would fail in his duty of humanity, the dental surgeon always has the right to refuse care for personal or professional reasons, on condition : 1° never to harm his patient in this way ; 2° ensuring continuity of care and providing all useful information to this end. The dental surgeon may only exercise this right in compliance with the rule set…

A dental surgeon who has agreed to provide care to a patient undertakes : 1° to provide the patient with enlightened care in accordance with the latest scientific knowledge, either personally, or when his conscience requires him to do so by calling in another dental surgeon or a doctor ; 2° To always act with correctness and kindness towards the patient and to show compassion towards him; 3° Lend himself…

The dental surgeon must enable his patient to obtain the social benefits to which his condition entitles him, without giving in to any abusive demands.

When a dental surgeon becomes aware, in the course of his practice, that a minor appears to be the victim of abuse or deprivation, he must, with prudence and circumspection, implement the most appropriate means to protect the minor and, if necessary, alert the competent authorities if the minor is under fifteen years of age, in accordance with the provisions of the penal code relating to professional secrecy.

The consent of the person being examined or treated is sought in all cases, under the conditions defined in Article L. 1111-4. When the patient, capable of expressing his or her wishes, refuses the proposed investigations or treatment, the dental surgeon must respect this refusal after informing the patient of the consequences. When it is impossible to obtain in good time the consent of the legal representative of a minor…

Subject to the provisions of article L. 1111-5 and except in the cases provided for in article R. 4127-236, the dental surgeon attached to an establishment with an internship system must, in the presence of a serious condition, notify the patient’s legal representative if the patient is a minor or the person in charge of the legal protection measure with representation relating to the person, if the patient is an…

The dental surgeon is free to prescribe whatever he considers most appropriate in the circumstances. He must limit his prescriptions and actions to what is necessary for the quality and effectiveness of care.

Subject to the provisions of Article L. 1111-7 and for legitimate reasons which the dental surgeon assesses according to his conscience, a patient may be kept in ignorance of a serious diagnosis or prognosis. A fatal prognosis should only be revealed to the patient with the greatest circumspection, but the patient’s next of kin should generally be informed, unless the patient has previously forbidden this disclosure or designated the third…