title: The ethical responsibility of professional autonomy.
abstract: Dentistry has historically been practiced autonomously, and many dentists place a high value on professional independence. This article outlines the conceptual basis for professional autonomy and asserts that dentists can retain independence only by aligning values with patients and remaining trustworthy in the eyes of the public.
authors.affiliation: UOP School of Dentistry, 2155 Webster St., San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. bpeltier@uop.edu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peltier
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D003813:Dentistry / Q000592:standards*; D004990:Ethics, Dental; D006801:Humans; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D012941:Social Responsibility; D014481:United States