The dental profession holds a unique position of trust within society. In return, the profession commits to maintaining high ethical standards of conduct among its members. These standards are noted in the American Dental Association Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct, which serves as a written expression of the obligations arising from the implied contract between the dental profession and society. Continued trust in dentistry depends on the commitment of individual practitioners to uphold these principles.
The ADA Principles of Ethics represent the aspirational goals of the profession. There are five fundamental principles that form the foundation of the ADA Code:
- Patient autonomy
- Nonmaleficence
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Veracity
UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry dental students and residents who identify an ethical dilemma or ethical implication within their scientific table clinic presentation are encouraged to self-nominate for the W. Kenneth Horwitz, DDS, Table Clinic Award for Discussion of Ethics and Professionalism.
Eligibility
The award is open to UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry students and residents presenting at the annual scientific table clinic
How to Apply
Applicants must complete the following steps to be considered for the award:
- Identify an ethical dilemma or ethical implication related to their table clinic presentation.
- During table clinic registration, select the option to self-nominate for the W. Kenneth Horwitz, DDS, Table Clinic Award for Discussion of Ethics and Professionalism.
- Provide the following information at the time of registration:
- Name(s) of presenter(s)
- Faculty sponsor(s)
- Table clinic presentation title and number, if assigned
- A brief one- to two-sentence summary describing the ethical dilemma or implications to be discussed with the award judges
Review and Recognition
During the table clinic presentations, a small committee of judges will conduct brief interviews with each nominated presenter to discuss the ethical aspects of their work. Award recipients will be announced and recognized on the same day as the presentations.
Awards
A total of $2,000 in monetary awards is available for distribution. The judging committee reserves the right to withhold a portion of the award funding if there is an insufficient number of eligible presentations. The committee may also determine that an alternative distribution is more appropriate.
Suggested Award Distribution:
- First Place: $1,000
- Runner-Up: $700
- Finalist: $300