Which statement MOST accurately describes the dentist's position?
Ethics and professionalism questions in the ADC written exam test your understanding of the Dental Board of Australia Code of Conduct — professional boundaries, mandatory reporting, delegation, and cultural safety. This exam-level vignette tests your ability to apply the Code to clinical scenarios.
A 28-year-old patient discloses to their dentist during a routine appointment that they have recently been diagnosed with hepatitis C. The patient's partner is also a patient at the same practice. The patient explicitly refuses to allow the dentist to inform their partner about the diagnosis. Which statement MOST accurately describes the dentist's position?
- A. The dentist must maintain confidentiality absolutely, as patient consent is required for any disclosure and the patient has explicitly refused
- B. The dentist must disclose to the partner immediately, as the duty to protect a third party from harm overrides confidentiality in all infectious disease situations
- C. The dentist must balance the patient's right to confidentiality against any legal obligation or public interest consideration that may require or justify disclosure
- D. The dentist should transfer the partner to another practice so that any future infection risk is no longer the dentist's clinical responsibility
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Show the answer and cited explanation
Section 3.4 states that patients have a right to expect confidentiality unless release of information is required by law or public interest considerations. This is not an absolute either way — it requires a balancing test. The dentist should be aware of relevant public health legislation regarding notifiable conditions and seek appropriate advice. Option A treats confidentiality as absolute — but the Code explicitly recognises legal and public interest exceptions. Option B treats disclosure as automatic — but the Code requires the balancing test, not automatic override. Option D attempts to avoid the ethical obligation through administrative manoeuvre rather than addressing it.
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