Ethical Dilemmas and Conventionalism in Healthcare: A Scoping Review

Abstract

This review aims to evaluate the current ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare practitioners, especially in dentistry, and analyze how conventionalism with ethical norms influences these challenges. By exploring the balance between evolving healthcare practices and established ethical principles, the review aims to provide insights into the ongoing ethical discussions and dilemmas within the field. A systematic search for relevant articles published between 2000 and July 2024 was conducted across various databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO host. Studies that met specified eligibility criteria were included, and data on ethical dilemmas in healthcare and dentistry were assessed. To identify trends and inconsistencies in the existing literature, data extraction and synthesis of the findings were performed. Various ethical conundrums that affect dental healthcare professionals were identified by the literature review. The ethical dilemmas that are revealed through this are substandard dental care, inadequate treatment, inadequate sterilization, identity-related dilemmas, overtreatment, and conflict between truthfulness and beneficence. The review highlights common ethical dilemmas in healthcare, underscoring the need for improved resource management, patient communication, and consistent ethical practices.