commentary C D A J O U R N A L , V O L 4 8 , Nº 9
How Dentists Can Avoid Bad Choices Robert D. Stevenson, DDS
AUTHOR Robert D. Stevenson, DDS, practiced general dentistry in the Inland Empire area. He is an assistant professor at the Western University College of Dental Medicine and is responsible for ethics and jurisprudence education. Dr. Stevenson also served on the CDA Judicial Council. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None reported.
E
veryone faces an array of decisions every day. These range from very simple choices to extremely complex ones. At one end of the spectrum, decisions require little thought; they are made almost automatically. At the other end, decisions may demand significant mental effort. The intensity of consideration does not always correlate with the seriousness of the decision. This paper will leave the serious philosophical discussions for the philosophers. Instead, it will attempt to answer the question of how one can avoid making bad choices. Principles of ethics and professionalism will be evaluated in the context of the professional codes of ethics of dentistry. Emotional intelligence will be introduced as a skill to guide wise decisions. Everyone makes choices that fall on various points along the spectrum. The associated consequences will also vary. Those who experience the extreme consequences tend to be the outliers. These are the individuals who often appear in the news. Why do people make bad choices? Can one who is innately “good” make a bad decision? And once that choice is made, does the individual become innately bad? Many years ago, a railroad mixup occurred in which a passenger car traveled from Oakland, Calif., to Newark, N.J. Much to everyone’s
consternation, the baggage car did not make the same journey. As railroad workers retraced the paths of the two cars, they discovered that a switchman in St. Louis carelessly moved a small piece of steel just three inches, then pulled a lever to uncouple the car. That small action sent the baggage car to New Orleans instead of to Newark. In similar fashion, small decisions can derail one’s ambitions or send them far from the intended goal. Each individual’s character is the result of many small decisions: They become the product of their choices. Consider that for a moment. The decisions an individual has made in life have led them to where they are today. At various points in their life, a dentist made decisions that led them to dental school. Once in dental school, the dentist made many different decisions that helped them complete the requirements for graduation. Poor choices may have delayed their graduation. Some decisions were made that determined where and how the dentist practices. Although no one intends to stray as far as the baggage car did, occasionally poor choices are made that can lead one far from their intended destination. Some of those choices have minimal effects. Others are more significant and bring weighty consequences. Most dentists will be able to avoid the epic bad choices that make the SEP TEMBER 2 0 2 0 451
