Section 2: Code of ethics for dental surgeons

Dental surgeons are obliged to inform the Conseil national de l’ordre, via the Conseil départemental, of any contracts entered into between them and a public administration or an administrative body. Any observations that the National Council may have to make are sent by it to the Minister responsible for the administration concerned.

In the event of salaried practice, the remuneration of the dental surgeon may not be based on standards of productivity and performance which would be likely to be detrimental to the quality of care and undermine the professional independence of the practitioner. The Association Council will ensure that the provisions of the contract comply with the principles laid down by law and the present Code of Ethics.

Except in emergencies, and subject to the legislative or regulatory provisions relating to occupational medical and social services, any dental surgeon who carries out a preventive dental service on behalf of a community is not entitled to provide curative care. He must refer the person he has recognised as ill to the attending dental surgeon or, if the patient does not have one, leave him free to choose one. This…

A dental surgeon who, while practising his profession, practises preventive dentistry in a community or provides a public screening consultation is prohibited from using this function to increase his private clientele.

Except in emergencies, no one may be both a dental surgeon in charge of a control mission and a treating dental surgeon for the same patient. This prohibition extends to members of the patient’s family living with him or her.

The supervising dental surgeon must not interfere with the treatment. However, if in the course of an examination he finds himself in disagreement with his colleague or if an element useful to the conduct of the treatment has been brought to his attention, he must inform him of this confidentially.

The controlling dental surgeon must make it known to the patient under his control that he is examining him as a controlling dental surgeon. He must be very circumspect in what he says and refrain from making any comments to the patient.

The dental surgeon in charge of the examination is bound by professional secrecy with regard to the administration or the body employing him. The conclusions he provides must be of an administrative nature only, without indicating the medical reasons for them. Information of a medical nature contained in the files drawn up by the practitioner may not be communicated to persons outside the medical service or to any other administration.

No one may be both expert dental surgeon and treating dental surgeon for the same patient. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the dental surgeon must not accept an expert mission in which the interests of one of his clients, one of his friends, one of his relatives, one of his associates, or a group that calls on his services are at stake. The same applies when his own interests are…

Before undertaking any expert examination, the dental surgeon must inform the person to be examined of his mission. He must refrain from making any comments during the examination.