Hit the Ground Running! Counting Down to Ethical Fitness Training Kick-off!

On Monday, October 25, Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) will, "Hit the Ground Running!" with a kick-off celebration for Ethical Fitness Training. Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter; Dr. Carl McManama, Chair of the Dean’s Council on Ethics and Professionalism (DCEP); and the members of the DCEP will host a luncheon celebration and explain what the DCEP has planned for each and every member of the GSDM community. This event will feature fun, food, gifts, raffle prizes, and a special appearance by a surprise guest!

Two weeks ago we began highlighting one of GSDM’s Core Values. Outlook This Week will continue to highlight a value each week leading up to the, "Hit the Ground Running!" event. In the coming week we will also be installing permanent Code of Ethics and Mission Statement signs throughout the School.

Our Code of Ethics articulates the behavior we expect of all members of our community–faculty, students, staff, researchers, and administration. The Code reflects our values and our day-to-day professional aspirations for carrying out our mission by caring for our patients, teaching, learning, conducting research, and interacting with our colleagues. Our core values and their associated behaviors emerged from a collaborative effort by all members of our community and they apply to us all.

This Code describes how we aspire to conduct ourselves—it is not a set of rules. Our Code of Student Conduct, which describes prohibited behavior and procedures for addressing prohibited behavior, is found in section two of Article V of the GSDM Bylaws. Similar documents related to staff and faculty are found in the Boston Medical Center Human Resources Manual and in the Boston University Faculty Handbook.

Our Code of Ethics was formed around our five core values.

Responsibility

We are accountable to others and to ourselves and take ownership in the well-being of our school and colleagues.

We are all responsible for promoting and establishing this Code and our values in the GSDM community. We talk proactively with colleagues about our Code and values, especially those colleagues who are operating outside the Code.

We carefully balance our roles in healthcare and education. We help GSDM to succeed in its roles of treating patients, educating dentists, and conducting research.

As faculty,

  • We acknowledge that we are ultimately responsible for the quality of patient care in our treatment centers—it should be everyone’s highest priority. We work with students to ensure that all patients under our supervision are treated well. 
  • We make sure that what we teach and what we do will give the highest priority to the welfare of the patient at the highest level. 
  • We enthusiastically encourage participation in community health care programs.
  • We actively assume the role of “role-model” in everything we do. 
  • We support an environment that proactively prevents wrongdoing. We identify and report wrongdoing in the appropriate manner. 
  • We promote an environment that makes it possible for others to report wrongdoing without fear of retribution. 
  • We maintain confidentiality in all aspects of discussion about patients, students and coworkers. 
  • We honor time commitments, being punctual for lectures, labs, clinic and meetings, and we are respectful of the time constraints of others. 
  • We understand that teaching and learning is an active participatory process and that, in a profession that requires life-long learning, we take a proactive responsibility for our role in learning.
  • We do what we can to stay healthy. The practice of dentistry is demanding physically, mentally, and emotionally. We will meet these demands.

As students,

  • We understand that learning to provide patient care correctly ranks above grades and points and personal interests.
  • We assist our colleagues when they are in need and always strive be positive contributors to the GSDM community at large.
  • We report misconduct and participate in the process of peer review. We complete assignments on time and take responsibility for our education. 
  • We learn how to communicate effectively with diverse personalities and populations.
  • We learn to understand and comply with legal documentation. 
  • We learn the limits of our skills and practice within them.
  • We honor time commitments, being punctual for lectures, labs, clinic, and meetings. 
  • We learn our professional obligations and learn to assess and resolve ethical dilemmas. 
  • We are committed to life-long learning and adapting to an ever-changing environment.
  • We do what we can to stay healthy. The practice of dentistry is demanding physically, mentally, and emotionally. We will meet these demands.

As staff, 

  • We recognize that the patient always comes first.
  • We model ethical and professional behavior as one of our contributions to the teaching role of GSDM.
  • We are accountable for our actions.
  • We proudly take ownership of our role in the GSDM community.
  • We play an active role in creating a safe and healthy workplace and comply with applicable safety and health regulations.
  • We communicate this Code and enforce the rules, and we hold others accountable for both Code and rules.
  • We behave in a professional manner towards patients, faculty, and students. 

As researchers,

  • We model ethical and professional behavior, and encourage/expect it in others.
  • We observe the rules and regulations for the responsible conduct of research.
  • We report misconduct and unprofessional behavior.
  • We engage in personal “continuous quality improvement” through self-reflection and life-long learning practices.
  • We help other researchers and trainees through advising, committee work, peer-review, and teaching.

As administrators,

  • We create and revise the policies and procedures that govern the operation and the behavior within the GSDM community.
  • We communicate rules and standards of behavior and enforce these rules and standards consistently.
  • We provide the resources—fiscal, physical, human, and intellectual—to carry out our individual and collective missions.
  • We attract and admit students who will enhance the mission, culture, and reputation of our School and our profession.
  • We hire faculty, researchers, staff, and administrators who will contribute to the success of our mission of educating dentists and to the positive environment of our School.
  • We assume the responsibility of ultimate role model for all faculty, staff, and students by setting and maintaining the highest level of ethical behavior.

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