Extending Cultural Respect When Treating Diverse Dental Patients
With today’s diverse population, cultural awareness is imperative to help clinicians understand how culture influences a patient’s communication style, beliefs and attitudes toward health care.
With today’s diverse population, cultural awareness is imperative to help clinicians understand how culture influences a patient’s communication style, beliefs and attitudes toward health care. Practitioners must recognize their patients’ cultural diversity and health literacy in order to provide ethical and comprehensive care. Authored by Pamela Zarkowski, BSDH, MPH, JD, “Clinical Strategies for Ethical, Culturally Competent Care” examines how to apply the ethical principles of autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence and justice as a framework to guide all facets of patient interactions and care. This continuing education article — sponsored by an unrestricted educational grant from Philips — discusses the resources and tools available to assist oral health professionals in providing culturally respectful care to all patients.
From Decisions in Dentistry. November 2017;3(11):11