TEACH Lesson Plan
IANNUCCI AND HOWERTON: Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques, 5th Edition
14 Legal Issues and the Dental
Radiographer
CHAPTER LESSON PLAN & OBJECTIVES
Lesson 14.1: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer
1. Define key terms associated with legal issues.
2. List federal and state regulations affecting the use of dental x-ray equipment and describe the general
application of federal and state regulations relating to the dental auxiliary.
CHAPTER TEACHING FOCUS
• Students will have the opportunity to learn general legal concepts, including various regulations as they
Chapter 14: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer 2
TEACH Lesson Plan
IANNUCCI AND HOWERTON: Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques, 5th Edition
CHAPTER PRETEST
Have the students answer these questions prior to covering this chapter to understand where they stand
in relation to the content.
1) What is it called when a patient has the legal right to make choices about the care he or she receives,
including the opportunity to consent to or to refuse treatment?
a) Disclosure
b) Liability c) Standard of care
d) Self-determination
2) What is the process of informing the patient about the particulars of exposing dental radiographs?
a) Disclosure
b) Liability c) Standard of care
d) Permission
3) What refers to the policies and procedures that should be followed by the dental radiographer to
reduce the chances that a patient will file legal action against the dental radiographer or supervising
dentist?
a) Liability
b) Permission c) Risk management
d) Being careful
4) What is consent given by a patient following complete disclosure?
a) Verbal consent
b) Informed consent c) Permission
d) Liability
7) What results when the dental practitioner is negligent in the delivery of dental care?
a) Liability
b) Bad practice c) Malpractice
d) Battery
8) Who is liable for the actions of dental personnel?
a) State in which they are employed
b) Dentist c) Dental radiographer
d) Office manager
9) The time during which a patient may bring a malpractice action against the dentist or auxiliary is
termed:
a) liability.
b) statute of limitations. c) time before court.
d) malpractice.
Chapter 14: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer 3
TEACH Lesson Plan
CHAPTER PRETEST ANSWERS
1) d
Persons seeking health care services, including dental care, have the right to self–determination;
persons have the legal right to make choices about the care received, including the opportunity
to consent to or to refuse treatment.
6) b
The standard of care can be defined as the quality of care that is provided by dental practitioners in a
similar locality under the same or similar conditions.
p. 132
Chapter 14: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer 4
TEACH Lesson Plan
IANNUCCI AND HOWERTON: Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques, 5th Edition
Classroom Preparation
Lesson 14.1: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer
INSTRUCTOR PREPARATION
Textbook Objectives Covered
1. Define key terms associated with legal issues.
2. List federal and state regulations affecting the use of dental x-ray equipment and describe the general
application of federal and state regulations relating to the dental auxiliary.
3. Describe licensure requirements for exposing dental images.
National Standards Covered
ABHES DAI (Dental Assisting I – Basic)
• Section A: Curriculum, Competencies, Externship and/or Internal Clinical Experience:
• Dentistry Ethics: List and describe the legal aspects of dentistry. (15.a)
• Dentistry Ethics: List and describe the legal aspects of dentistry. (17.a)
CODA Standards for Dental Assisting Programs
• Standard 2: Educational Program:
• The program must demonstrate effectiveness in creating an academic environment that supports
ethical and professional responsibility to include: Legal and ethical aspects of dentistry. (2–19.b)
CODA Standards for Dental Hygiene Programs
Lesson Preparation Checklist
Materials and Supplies
Chapter 14: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer 5
TEACH Lesson Plan
IANNUCCI AND HOWERTON: Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques, 5th Edition
Classroom Preparation
Lesson 14.1: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer
STUDENT PREPARATION (5 hrs)
1
READ – Textbook (pp. 130-133)
ANSWER – Workbook Module 3: Radiographer and Technique Basics
• Basic Terminology Crossword Puzzle, questions 1–10 (p. 95)
PREPARE
• Have the students make flash cards with the key terms on one side and definitions on the
reverse. Bring cards to class for an activity.
ANSWER – Textbook
ANSWER – Textbook
5
READ – Textbook (p. 131)
ANSWER – Textbook
• Quiz Questions: Multiple Choice, questions 8, 9 (p. 134)
ANSWER – Workbook Module 3: Radiographer and Technique Basics
• Short Answer: Legal Issues and the Dental Patient, question 3 (p. 96)
6
7
READ – Textbook (p. 132)
ANSWER – Workbook Module 3: Radiographer and Technique Basics
• Short Answer: Legal Issues and the Dental Patient, question 4 (p. 96)
READ – Textbook (p. 132)
ANSWER – Textbook
health information is not kept confidential. Bring information to class for an activity.
9
• Critical Thinking Question 5 (p. 112)
READ – Textbook (p. 133)
ANSWER – Workbook Module 3: Radiographer and Technique Basics
• Short Answer: Legal Issues and the Dental Patient, question 1 (p. 96)
• Short Answer: True or False, questions 1-3 (p. 96)
Chapter 14: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer 6
TEACH Lesson Plan
IANNUCCI AND HOWERTON: Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques, 5th Edition
STUDENT PREPARATION (5 hrs) (Continued)
10
READ – Textbook (pp. 133-134)
ANSWER – Workbook Module 3: Radiographer and Technique Basics
• Short Answer: Legal Issues and the Dental Patient, question 2 (p. 96)
Chapter 14: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer 7
TEACH Lesson Plan
IANNUCCI AND HOWERTON: Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques, 5th Edition
50-Minute Lesson Plan
Lesson 14.1: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer
LECTURE OUTLINE (15 min)
1
&
2
KEY TERMS AND REGULATIONS: SLIDES 4-7 (pp. 130-133)
• Discuss key terms associated with legal issues.
• Describe federal and state regulations affecting the use of dental x-ray equipment and describe
the general application of federal and state regulations relating to the dental auxiliary.
3
LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS: SLIDE 8 (p. 130)
• Describe licensure requirements for exposing dental images.
4
RISK MANAGEMENT: SLIDES 9-11 (pp. 130-131)
5
• Describe ways to obtain informed consent from a patient.
9
• Describe the patient’s rights with regard to the dental record.
• Describe the legal implications of patient refusal to have dental x-ray images exposed.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES (choose one or more to equal 35 min)
1
&
2
for the dental radiographer to become certified or licensed to take dental radiographs.
REVIEW (15 min each)
• Using the key terms flash cards that the students completed as a homework assignment, have
the students split into pairs and quiz each other with the flash cards. Correct their
pronunciation as needed.
• Appropriate Settings: Traditional classroom, flipped classroom
• Appropriate Settings: Traditional classroom, flipped classroom
3
• Appropriate Settings: Traditional classroom, flipped classroom
• Appropriate Settings: Traditional classroom, flipped classroom
RESEARCH (15 min)
• Divide the class into small groups. Have each group research what steps they will have to take
in order to be granted permission to take dental x-rays in the states they reside in. Have each
group share their findings with the class.
Chapter 14: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer 8
TEACH Lesson Plan
IANNUCCI AND HOWERTON: Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques, 5th Edition
LEARNING ACTIVITIES (choose one or more to equal 35 min) (Continued)
5
ROLE PLAY (15 min)
• Use the informed consent forms the students prepared in the previous activity. Have the
student role play a dental radiographer presenting the informed consent form to the patient.
Have a class discussion about what the class has learned after everyone has presented.
• Appropriate Settings: Traditional classroom, flipped classroom
• Have the students pretend they have just taken dental radiographs on a patient. On a piece of
paper have the students document the patient’s visit. Choose a few students to share their
entries with the class for discussion.
• Appropriate Settings: Traditional classroom, flipped classroom
8
PRESENT (15 min)
• Using the state confidentiality laws research assignment that the groups completed as
homework, have each group present their findings to the class for discussion.
• Appropriate Settings: Traditional classroom, flipped classroom
9
should post their answers and conduct an online discussion in comments. Each student should
radiographers when a patient refuses dental radiographs, but wants to continue with treatment.
DISCUSS (15 min)
• As a class, discuss reasons why patients might believe they own their radiographs. Explain
that when patients pay for their radiographs, they are paying for a diagnostic interpretation and
not the actual radiographs.
• Appropriate Settings: Traditional classroom, flipped classroom
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTION
A new patient comes into your office for a yearly check-up. He has come to your office because he
was very unhappy that the previous dentist would not give him a copy of the dental record. The
previous dentist said that this was the dental office’s legal document and the patient had no rights
to it. The patient is very upset and feels misled. What can the dental auxiliary do to comfort and
settle any misunderstandings?
Discussion Guidelines: The dental record is the official document belonging to the office in which
Chapter 14: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer 9
TEACH Lesson Plan
IANNUCCI AND HOWERTON: Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques, 5th Edition
Assessments
Chapter 14: Legal Issues and the Dental Radiographer
ASSESSMENTS BY OBJECTIVE
1
Workbook Module 3: Radiographer and Technique Basics
• Basic Terminology Crossword Puzzle, questions 1-10 (p. 95)
2
Evolve Instructor Resources
• Test Bank: Multiple Choice, questions 1, 2
4
Evolve Instructor Resources
• Test Bank: Multiple Choice, questions 3, 8
Workbook Module 3: Radiographer and Technique Basics
• Short Answer: Legal Issues and the Dental Patient, question 3 (p. 96)
6
Evolve Instructor Resources
• Test Bank: Multiple Choice, questions 7, 9, 10
Workbook Module 3: Radiographer and Technique Basics
• Short Answer: Legal Issues and the Dental Patient, question 4 (p. 96)
8
Evolve Instructor Resources
• Test Bank: Multiple Choice, question 14
Workbook Module 3: Radiographer and Technique Basics
• Short Answer: True or False, questions 4-6 (p. 96)
• Critical Thinking Question 5 (p. 112)
Workbook Module 3: Radiographer and Technique Basics
• Short Answer: Legal Issues and the Dental Patient, question 2 (p. 96)