Dr. Bruce Ward president@cda-adc.ca Ethics and Professionalism I recall a public opinion survey from several years ago showing that Canadians placed dentists in the same range as car mechanics when it came to public trust. But the survey results were more nuanced; it turned out that most members of the public trusted their own dentist a lot, but less so dentists as a group. That distinction gives me pause. It suggests to me that most dentists are practising with a high standard of ethics and professionalism. But in a world where social media can bring public attention to an ethical misstep, the actions of one dentist can reflect poorly upon the profession as a whole. Ethics and professionalism are closely linked, but they are not the same. Ethics refers to the moral principles that guide our judgment, the internal compass that helps us decide what is right or wrong, fair or unfair. Ethics is why we make certain choices: our commitment to honesty, integrity, and doing what’s in the best interest of our patients. It’s the inner framework that shapes our decisions, even when no one is watching. Ultimately, ethics goes beyond simply following regulations. It’s about upholding the spirit of dentistry that defines us as a health care discipline rather than a commercial enterprise. Professionalism, on the other hand, is about how we put these ethical principles into practise. It’s the outward expression of our values through behaviour, in how we communicate, respect others, maintain competence, and uphold the reputation of dentistry. Professionalism is visible, while ethics is often unseen. One is the moral foundation, the other the lived expression. The CDA Principles of Ethics articulate the core commitments that shape the moral and professional responsibilities of dentists—to patients, society and the profession. These principles provide both a foundation for those entering the field and a compass for those already practising. They affirm that dentistry’s privilege of self-regulation and status as a profession is earned through the conscientious application of knowledge, skill, and integrity. Central to these principles is trust, the cornerstone of the relationship between dentist and patient, grounded in honesty, competence, fairness and accountability. Equally vital is the commitment to health as the primary goal of dental practice, upheld through respect for patient autonomy, a steadfast duty to care for all members of society without prejudice, and a proactive commitment to prevention and health promotion within broader social contexts. One of the clearest signs of professionalism is how we relate to those around us. Patients may not know whether we’ve placed the perfect restoration, but they do know if we treat them with honesty and respect. And our own staff often see more than we think. Dental assistants, dental hygienists, and our front office teams can tell when a practice may be crossing ethical lines. We need to cultivate workplaces where feedback and accountability are welcomed. Even the most experienced clinician benefits from trusted voices who can speak up and say, “This doesn’t feel right.” Our professional culture matters. A strong culture of accountability makes it easier to uphold high ethical standards. We can’t control when one dentist’s bad choice paints us all in a bad light, but we can control how we practise, how we treat our teams and how we represent our profession. We must remember that an ethical profession isn’t something we inherit—it’s a privilege and obligation that we build, choice by choice, patient by patient, day after day. From the President 7 Issue 6 | 2025 | CDA at Work
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