A Study of Dental Ethics Education Based on the Perceptions of Dentists

Purpose: This study was designed to identify dentists’ perceptions of dental ethics education and to provide guidance on the direction of education. Method: A focus interview was planned, but due to restrictions of COVID-19, the research was conducted by written interviews. Based on the methodology of the consensus development program, the expert panel was invited as co-researchers and the result was circulated in the panel group to reach an agreement. Result: Through the interview, the purpose of dental ethics was identified as the acquisition of professionalism and normative knowledge. Ethics education should go beyond content delivery and be reflected in student growth and evaluation across dental colleges. Afterward, future dental ethics should deal with issues of medical advertisements, artificial intelligence, and practice delegation. Conclusion: Based on the interview results, the paper presents a set of dentists’ virtue. Also, integrated dental ethics curriculum and dental ethics rounds were discussed as feasible alternatives to formal, didactic ethics lectures.ope