C1: Apply a professional code of ethics in all endeavors.

As a dental hygienist goes through his or her career, dilemmas are likely to arise in every office, location, and in a variety of settings. It is the responsibility of the dental hygienist to abide by the code of ethics to aid in ethical decision-making rather than relying on personal values, morals, or beliefs.  

As an assignment, I was provided with an ethical dilemma. This included an example of a situation. In order to make a decision, I was expected to incorporate the ethical principles of beneficence, maleficence, justice, veracity, societal trust, and autonomy. This assignment helped me to learn how to apply these principles to a real situation and be less intimidated by decision-making. Ethical dilemmas will always be prevalent occasionally, but should one arise, I will know to turn to the code of ethics to decide in order to avoid any possible lawsuits, legal ramifications, or license revocation.