Inadherence to ETHICS: The Possible Reason for Dental Education and Research at Cross Roads all over the World?

Opinion

Universal ethics in practice is beyond human definition and theoretical formulation and philosophy. Universal ethics can be understood and measured only by the best fruits it brings largely to all living beings but more particularly to the human society and to the individual humans because the effects are quantitatively measurable in many cases and in some cases, it is qualitatively visible in the society and in the individual humans.

In the case of dental education and research the common public anguish is Where to study and how to pursue research. In the context of patients, the longingness is to select the best hospital and to ask friends about the doctor who charges consultation fees fairly if not cheaply (in my own country India).

Dental problems are unique in the sense that they need fairly immediate attention compared to other kind of delayed ailments because of the total pain and uneasiness created in the whole part of head. The chance of curing in the dental problem is also relatively low compared to the extent and pace of curing experienced in other physical ailments.

The main reasons for this low-profile curing probability are mainly due to the lack of normal standards in the educational curriculum, the lack of the best teaching, practice strategies, the very limited scope for research in well reputed institutes of excellence and also the expenses involved in pursuing research in this field. Apart from educational curriculum and research in dentistry the mainly overseen Topic is the exclusion of chapters on universal ethics and particularly ethics related to dentistry.

The newly taught are not aware of the terms and meanings of autonomy, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence and human dignity. If the educational curriculum and research methods are built upon the sound ethical principles the society can be benefitted without wastage of time, energy, money, efforts and peaceful living is guaranteed. Doctors also can experience their autonomy and dignity in the society. Hence it is not so late to evolve ethically standardized educational curriculum, research methods which will pave way for the best pharmacological drugs for dentistry. Can we save dentistry education and quality research from further decline in the days to come?

Conflict of Interest

None.

Acknowledgement

None.