Formal instruction in dental professional ethics.

Programs in professional ethics are still in their infancy in American dental schools. Enough has been learned, however, to know that formal instruction in dental professional ethics is essential to such a program and that arguments against this approach cannot withstand careful examination. We have developed a set of aims and a sense of the kinds of subject matter that will enable us to achieve these aims. We are beginning to identify the kinds of individuals and teams needed to teach these courses. We have learned that these courses will not succeed unless they are taken seriously by the dental school community and actively supported by the faculty. What is needed for the teaching of dental professional ethics has become clear. It is time to proceed in earnest.