Ethical issues and dentists' practices with children with intellectual disability: A qualitative inquiry into a local French health network

Ariane Camoin (1) , Lionel Dany (2) , Corinne Tardieu (3) , Michel Ruquet (4) , Pierre Le Coz (5)

1 ADES - Anthropologie bio-culturelle, Droit, Ethique et Santé
2 LPS - Laboratoire de Psychologie Sociale
3 Chirurgie orthopédique et pédiatrique [Hôpital de la Timone - APHM]
4 UAABC - Anthropologie Bio-Culturelle
5 Espace éthique méditerranéen

Discussion This study sheds a welcome light on the issue of the dental on the children with intellectual disability. The goal of the study was to focus on the discrepancies between the ethical values of the dentists, their principles and their daily practices when treating children with disability. The starting point for discussion was a clinical scenario designed to facilitate a discussion of approaches to care and then to lead into ethical reflection. The results of this study are discussed following the thematic analysis and in relation to data from the literature. Minor themes are also explored and the emergent ethical issues discussed. First Contact According to the literature, it seems preferable for the dentist to fetch the patient from the waiting room personally, as this shows involvement with the patient (confidence building relationship). 14 However, the dental assistant can also be considered as playing a true role in dental care, passing on valuable information to practitioners. Concerning behaving differently with a child with intellectual disability, opinions were divided. How is the patients' status considered, how are they seen by the dentists? Does the practitioner only look at them from the angle of their difference and their disability? The framework of inclusion demands that each patient has the right to be treated as an "ordinary" patient. We have to consider the patients first as a person, with all their differences, and we must focus on their individuality in order to provide attention and appropriate care. 22,25 However, the term "intellectual disability" refers to a social construct. When a dental session is described as "care performed in a child with intellectual disability", a change in attitude may be unintentionally introduced 26 .

Mots clés: Dental care for the disabled; Dental ethics Informed consent; Patient adherence; Dental care for the disabled

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]; Sciences de l'Homme et Société

Ariane Camoin, Lionel Dany, Corinne Tardieu, Michel Ruquet, Pierre Le Coz. Ethical issues and dentists' practices with children with intellectual disability: A qualitative inquiry into a local French health network. Disability and Health Journal, 2018, 11 (3), pp.412-419. ⟨10.1016/j.dhjo.2018.01.001⟩. ⟨hal-02527761⟩