Japan Dental Hygienists Association
Code of Ethics for Dental Hygienists
Preamble
Oral health plays a fundamental and important role in maintaining a healthy and high quality
life. The mission of dental hygienists is to contribute to the maintenance and promotion oforal health by preventing dental diseases and improving oral hygiene.
Dental hygienists are licensed professionals who are authorized to practice dental hygiene
and, by providing people lifelong preventive dental health services and oral health carethrough oral hygiene and management of oral functions, will support people to live theirwhole life with dignity.
Dental hygienists must perform their work based on respect to human rights, such as theright to live, the right to preserve dignity and the right to receive equal oral health care, as
well as trusting relationships.
This Code of Ethics for Dental Hygienists is a code of conduct for dental hygienists to follow
when practicing dental hygiene at hospitals, clinics, nursing care and welfare facilities, local
communities, offices, companies, educational institutions, research institutes, administrative
agencies or in any other place, and at the same time specifies to the society, a clear
manifestation of the basic roles and responsibilities of dental hygienists.
Ethical Principles
1.

Dental hygienists respect human life, human character and human rights.

2.

Dental hygienists perform their duties with equality, fairness and good faith.

3.

Dental hygienists perform their duties by providing sufficient information andestablishing trusting relationships.

4.

Dental hygienists respect and uphold people’s right to know and right of selfdetermination.

5.

Dental hygienists are obliged to maintain confidentiality and strive to protect
personal information.

6.

Dental hygienists protect and ensure the safety of subject individuals when their oral

health is endangered or their safety is at risk.
7.

Dental hygienists adhere to the Dental Hygienist Act and related laws and regulations,and ensure the quality and autonomy of their service.

8.

Dental hygienists are personally responsible for maintaining, enhancing anddeveloping professional competence through continuous learning.

9.

Dental hygienists work collaboratively with other health and welfare professionals toensure appropriate oral health management.

10.

Dental hygienists establish and enforce appropriate standards to improve quality ofservice.

11.

Dental hygienists contribute to the further development of dental hygiene throughpractice and research.

12.

Dental hygienists respect the right of individuals to be treated fairly, as well as theirright to privacy.

13.

Dental hygienists strive to maintain a healthy work environment in order to provide
quality care.

14.

Dental hygienists uphold high personal standards in order to gain the trust of society
and its people.

15.

Dental hygienists share responsibility with society for health-related environmental
issues.

16.

Dental hygienists contribute to improving society by working with professionalorganizations to promote systems and measures to maintain and enhance oral health.

Principles and Responsibilities
1.

Dental hygienists respect human life, human character and human rights.
The basic role of dental hygienists is to support oral health care necessary for themaintenance and promotion of oral health, and to strive to preserve and promote
general health and to ensure the quality of life. Hence, under any given circumstance,
dental hygienists first and foremost act to protect human life, human character, humanrights and human dignity.

2.

Dental hygienists perform their duties with equality, fairness and good faith.
All people have a right to receive fair and reasonable support of oral health care. Dentalhygienists perform dental hygiene service to provide oral health care with equality,
fairness and good faith, without discrimination based on nationality, race, ethnicity,religion, creed, gender or sexual behavior, age, lifestyle and social or economic status.

3.

Dental hygienists perform their duties by providing sufficient information andestablishing trusting relationships.
Dental hygienists perform their duties based on trusting relationships between dental
hygienists and subject individuals. Dental hygienists are responsible to build and develop
trust by providing such individuals with thorough information to obtain understanding
and consent to their practice and by accepting responsibility for the results of theiractions. Also, in the process of providing oral health care, dental hygienists should
encourage the subject individuals to participate actively in the process so that theirintentions are reflected in the procedure.

4.

Dental hygienists respect and uphold people’s right to know and right of selfdetermination.
People have the right to be fully informed of their oral health condition, and makechoices regarding support to their oral health care. Hence, dental hygienists strive toprovide sufficient information and guarantee opportunities of self-determinations tosubject individuals. Dental hygienists respond in good faith to requests for disclosure of
medical records and business records in accordance with guidelines of facilities etc.

5.

Dental hygienists are obligated to maintain confidentiality and strive to protect
personal information.
In order to provide appropriate oral health care from a professional standpoint, dental
hygienists are often in a position to obtain personal information of subject individuals
regarding their oral condition or lifestyle, or physical, mental and social information.
When obtaining personal information, it is important to explain what the information
will be used for and to maintain its confidentiality. Dental hygienists exercise utmost carewhen handling personal information, such as medical records and business records, andtake precautions against the leakage of information. When information needs to beshared with other healthcare/welfare personnel for the purpose of cooperation between
personnel of different occupations, disclosure of such information will be made basedon appropriate discretions.

6.

Dental hygienists protect and ensure the safety of subject individuals when theiroral health is endangered or their safety is at risk.
Dental hygienists endeavor to ensure that subject individuals receive appropriate oral
health care at all times. However, when oral health care is endangered by other parties,

or concerns arise over inappropriate decisions or actions, dental hygienists takemeasures to protect the individual, work to ensure their safety, and resolve the problem
through appropriate means. Even if such dental hygienist is not in a management orleadership position within the workplace, he/she should make such concern known toothers and work toward a solution.
Dental hygienists will pay attention to any and all risk in any situation surrounding oral
health care, including the possibility that their own conduct may harm the subject
individuals, and strive to prevent danger.
7.

Dental hygienists adhere to the Dental Hygienist Act and related laws andregulations, and ensure the quality and autonomy of their service.
Dental hygienists should always be properly aware of their responsibilities and abilities
when performing dental hygiene services necessary for oral health care, anddemonstrate accountability for their actions and results thereof. The scope of theirresponsibility is stipulated in the Dental Hygienist Act and related laws and regulations,and dental hygienists must not take on tasks that exceed their legal responsibilities.
When asked to take on tasks beyond their ability, in order to ensure the quality andautonomy of dental hygiene services to be provided, dental hygienists should volunteer
to receive guidance and support to improve their practical skills, or in some cases request
change in their assignment. Dental hygienists must adhere to the Dental Hygienist Act
and related laws and regulations and carry out all duties accordingly.

8.

Dental hygienists are personally responsible for maintaining, enhancing anddeveloping professional competence through continuous learning.
In order to improve practical clinical skills in response to the diversifying needs of oral
health care due to advances in dental science and treatment and changes in social values,
dental hygienists strive to maintain, improve and develop their professional skills
independently through continuous learning. Aside from on-the-job training, dental
hygienists should actively take advantage of opportunities available for continuous
learning as professionals through continuing education programs, academic societiesand various training programs conducted by the Dental Hygienists Association.

9.

Dental hygienists work collaboratively with other health and welfare professionals
to ensure appropriate oral health management.
Dental hygienists will cooperate and collaborate with other dental healthcare
professionals

andhealthcare/welfare

personneletc.,

andbasedonmutual

understanding with such personnel, strive to provide higher quality oral health care.
When cooperating and collaborating with such personnel, dental hygienists build close
cooperative relationships based on mutual understanding as professionals, shareobjectives and information and use their best efforts to ensure provision of appropriate
oral health management to subject individuals.
10. Dental hygienists establish and enforce appropriate standards to improve qualityof service.
Dental hygienists establish and implement appropriate standards of practice,
management, education and research in order to improve the quality of dental hygiene
services.
Standards for dental hygiene services stipulate, in regard to standards of practice,contents and methods of practice. Standards of management stipulate environment
improvement within the facilities, such as human resource development programs,
business management, safety management, information management, and equipment
management required to realize the practice. Educational standards stipulate
educational contents, environment and resources. Research standards stipulate researchcontents and examination of their priority, as well as appropriate procedures forpresenting research methods and research results.
Such standards should be established systematically, and individuals and organizations
should make efforts to meet these standards and use them as evaluation criteria. Thesestandards should also be revised periodically to meet the changing needs of society.
11. Dental hygienists contribute to the further development of dental hygiene
through practice and research.
Dental hygienists always strive to make use of the latest knowledge gained throughprovision of service and research in order to provide higher quality work, as well as toaccumulate new knowledge and technological advancements to contribute to the overall
development of the dental hygiene profession. In addition, every effort should be madeto ensure that the use of newly developed technologies ensures the safety, maintains
the dignity or guarantees the rights of people.
12. Dental hygienists respect the right of individuals to be treated fairly, as well as
their right to privacy.
Dental hygienists strive to respect and guarantee the rights of subject individuals not tosuffer disadvantage, to have access to full disclosure, to make their own decision, and tomaintain their privacy, anonymity and confidentiality, with regard to provision of service
and research. If a conflict of interest arises between their own interest and their duty as
a dental hygienist, dental hygienists must respect and protect the rights and welfare of
subject individuals.
13. Dental hygienists strive to maintain a healthy work environment in order toprovide quality care.
Dental hygienists support oral health management of people and provide services basedon their own physical and mental health. Hence, dental hygienists should be mindful of
their own health by maintaining a good balance between their work and private lives, aswell as work and rest. Healthy work environment and suitable work conditions should becreated so that dental hygienists may engage in their work receiving treatment andcompensation appropriate to their responsibility. Also, systematic efforts necessary tosecure safety and conduct risk managements to realize a healthy working life such as tosecure medical safety, disease prevention and protection from radiation exposure,making workplace free of violence and harassment, should be made.
14. Dental hygienists uphold high personal standards in order to gain the trust ofsociety and its people.
Dental hygienists cannot fulfill their roles without the trust of society and its people. Trustis fostered not only through professional knowledge and skills, but through honesty,civility, noble character, cleanliness and humility, as well as actions based on deep
knowledge and common sense.
Dental hygienists must always be aware of their mission and responsibility as aprofessional and strive to behave honorably as an individual.
15. Dental hygienists share responsibility with society for health-related
environmental issues.
Dental hygienists are required to defend the rights of individuals to enjoy healthy andcultured living. Therefore, it is vital for dental hygienists to establish an environment that
promotes health and to work closely with society to jointly address problems relating to
the destruction of natural environment and social environment. Dental hygienists should
also fulfill their responsibility to prevent environmental destruction caused by health andwelfare activities, for instance, ensuring the proper disposal and disposal process ofmedical waste, and to strive to safeguard the environment in order to maintain andenhance the health of people.

16. Dental hygienists contribute to improving society by working with professionalorganizations to promote systems and measures to maintain and enhance oral
health.
Dental hygienists shall, at all times, endeavor to establish a legal system that addresses
the changes in society and the needs of individuals and to promote measures relating
to health and welfare to ensure that people can obtain the highest quality of oral healthcare. In order to do so, dental hygienists shall act through the activities of the Dental
Hygienists Association, the professional organization for dental hygienists, andcontribute to a better society.
This “Code of Ethics for Dental Hygienists” of the Japan Dental Hygienists Association wasapproved and adopted at the regular meeting of the Board of Representatives held on June
16, 2019.