title: [Informed consent for dentistry in public hospitals, Federal District, Brazil].
abstract: Personal powers of decision and individuality must be respected, grounded on autonomy expressed through informed consent. This paper examines data on the actual use of informed consent in public hospitals in Brazil's Federal District. A questionnaire was completed by dentists in public hospitals, and its findings show that verbal informed consent is obtained at the start of treatment in most of the hospitals. Errors were noted in the use and conceptualization of informed consent. Failing to distinguish between image rights authorization and informed consent, the documents provide little information and do not explain important aspects of the treatment. Dentists practicing in the public hospital network thus need more detailed knowledge of basic bio-ethics in order to merge the long-consolidated and regulated principle of welfare with the principle of autonomy.
authors.affiliation: UNESCO de Bioética, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF.
authors.forename: Fabiano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maluf
authors.forename: Gilberto Paiva
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: José Caubi
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Diniz Júnior
authors.forename: João Geraldo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bugarin Junior
authors.forename: Volnei
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Garrafa
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital / Q000941:ethics*; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires