The teaching of ethics in the dental hygiene curriculum.

This study describes the extent of formal instruction in ethics in dental hygiene programs. Responses from 159 programs indicated that all hygiene programs include ethics in the curriculum, but the method of teaching and the amount of time devoted to the subject varied considerably. The majority of programs included ethics as a component of a larger course such as dental hygiene practice or as a separate course in ethics and jurisprudence. Although most course instructors used the lecture format, most programs combined lecture with more active forms of learning, such as use of ethical dilemmas. In general, respondents felt satisfied with the current role of ethics in the dental hygiene curriculum, although there was some concern about their own competence in teaching the subject.