Evaluating the Perspective of Students at Shiraz School of Dentistry Regarding Standards of Professional Ethics and Patients’ Rights

Introdouction:  During the past few decades, dental educators have addressed the need for ethics training and have examined various teaching methods. At present, the formulation of comprehensive ethical standards and emphasis on education of its principals have been the subject of debate within the medical profession. Learning elements are available as established educational curriculum. However, students also learn from their experiences in clinical settings. This study aims to evaluate the perspective of dental students regarding professional ethics. Materials and methods: A total of 81 (42 males, 39 females), dental students at Shiraz School of Dentistry were randomly selected. They were given provided two validated and reliable questionnaires regarding the students’ perspectives towards the standards of professional ethics and adherence of faculty members to the ethical principles. The data were analyzed using the t-test and one-way ANOVA. Results: The average grades for males and females in the first questionnaire were 2.25 ± 0.34 and 2.04 ± 0.29, respectively. The average grade in the second questionnaire was 2.50 ± 0.48 for males and 2.47 ± 0.49 for females. In the first questionnaire, the 6th year, 5th year, and 4th year students obtained an average grade of 2.10 ± 0.30, 2.12 ± 0.40, and 2.53 ± 0.46, respectively, and the average grades in the second questionnaire were 2.44 ± 0.49, 2.45 ± 0.52, and 2.43 ± 0.46, respectively. Conclusion: Males had a better perspective regarding professional ethics compared with females. However, regarding the adherence of faculty members to ethical principles, there was no significant difference between the two sexes. None of the variables of age, year of study, and marital status had a significant effect on the students’ perspective of professional ethics.