Knowledge, attitudes and practice of healthcare ethics and law among dental graduates at the RV dental college, Bengaluru

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices among the dental graduate in relation to healthcare ethics and law. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was employed using a self-administered questionnaire. A 15 item questionnaire about law and ethics was devised; tested and made available to all levels of graduates including teaching staff, postgraduates and intern at dental college in Bengaluru. A total of 116 graduates participated, with a response rate of 96.5% (n = 112). RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of the participants said that they are legally bound to treat all the patients who approach them for the treatment. Nearly 32% of the participants have mentioned the various other reasons for the rejection apart from the reason like HIV+, poor patients and patients with the contagious disease. CONCLUSION: The study points to the need for appropriate training among graduates including the professional staffs and other graduates, and to devise means to sensitize them to issues of law and ethics in the workplace.