Ethics on Facebook: a contemporary challenge for dentistry
Abstract
Introduction: Nowadays, health is increasingly addressed in social networks. Its use in dentistry, for example, has been widespread in health services; consequently, there is a larger number of posts that are not in compliance with the Code of Dental Ethics, and it brings great challenges to professionals and their class councils. Objective: Analyzing dental professionals and clinics’ profiles on Facebook based on ethical aspects determined by the Code of Dental Ethics and by the Consumer Protection Code. Methods: In total, 50 pages and dental clinic profiles, as well as 50 dentists from ES were identified on Facebook from 2013 to June 2017. These profiles were revisited in January 2019 in order to generate a comparative table of posts. An analysis protocol based on six categories was used according to the Code of Dental Ethics and to the Code of Consumer Protection. Results: Infringements related to professional negligence, advertisements, unauthorized patient exposure, professional fees, giveaways, promotions and services were found in the profiles. The absence of specific articles in the Code of Ethics about the conduct of dental professionals in social networks exposed the opened space for the committed infractions. The topic is addressed in general terms, it refers to any kind of mass media. Conclusion: The role of the Regional Council of Dentistry in supervising social networks becomes imperative, it adds to dentists’ full knowledge about the Code of Dental Ethics, as well as to the duty to report irregularities.
Downloads
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
The Revista Brasileira de Pesquisa em Saúde (RBPS) adopts the CC BY 4.0 license, which means that authors retain the copyright of the works they submit to the journal. Authors are responsible for declaring that their contribution is an original manuscript, that it has not been previously published, and that it is not under simultaneous review by another scientific journal. Upon submitting the manuscript, authors grant RBPS the exclusive right of first publication, subject to peer review.
Authors are permitted to enter into additional contracts for the non-exclusive distribution of the version published by RBPS (for example, in institutional repositories or as a book chapter), provided that due acknowledgment of authorship and of initial publication by RBPS is given. Authors are also encouraged to make their work available online (for example, in institutional repositories or on their personal pages) after its initial publication in the journal, with due acknowledgment of authorship and of the original publication by RBPS.
Accordingly, under the CC BY 4.0 license, readers have the right to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially;
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms. Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
