Skip to main content U.S. flag
          An official website of the United States government
            Here’s how you know
          Here's how you know **The .gov means it’s official.**
                
                Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure
                you’re on a federal government site.
 **The site is secure.**
                
                The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any
                information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.


NCD Logo
    
    NCD.gov
          National Council on Disability
        An independent federal agency committed to disability policy leadership since 1978
 Menu


close About the Council
              Misson
                
                Council Members
                
                Council Staff
                
                Email Directory
                
                Council Meetings
                
                Feedback
          
        
          
            
            
            Newsroom
            
        
          
            
            Policy Advice
              Letters
                
                Reports
                
                Testimony
                
                Toolkits
                
                Progress Reports
                
                Frameworks
                
                Fact Sheets
                
                Resources
                
                FAQ
          
        
          
            
            Policy Areas
              Civil Rights
                
                CRPD
                
                Cultural Diversity
                
                Education
                
                Emergency Management
                
                Employment
                
                Financial Assistance and Incentives
                
                Health Care
                
                Housing
                
                International
                
                Long Term Services and Support
                
                Technology
                
                Transportation
                
                Youth Perspectives Font Size:
 A
      Font Size Normal
 A
      Font Size Large
 twitter logoTwitter
 instagram logoInstagram
 linkedin logoLinkedIn
 facebook logoFacebook
 youtube logoYoutube
 Contact Us
          
          Accountability Search small
      Search


NCD Letter to Commission on Dental Accreditation regarding ADA code revision Thursday, November 15, 2018
 
 Civil Rights
  
    

    
    Health Care
  
    

    
    Education
 November 15, 2018 Dr. Sherin Tooks
Director, Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611 Dear Dr. Tooks, I write to you today to draw CODA’s attention to the recent revision by the American Dental Association (ADA) of its *Principles of Ethics & Code of Professional Responsibility*, voted on by the ADA House of Delegates on October 22, 2018. The ADA Code now dictates that a dental care provider may not deny care to a patient based on the patient’s disability, and that any provider in need of another’s skills, knowledge, equipment or expertise has an obligation to consult with or refer that patient with a disability to that provider. Accordingly, it is imperative that CODA revise its curricula standards at Standard 2-24 to require that students learn and train in the treatment management of patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities as was recommended by NCD in its letter to CODA dated January 23, 2018. These revisions to the ADA Code and accompanying Advisory Opinion, passed by the ADA House of Delegates in October 2018, are as follows (additions *underscored*, deletions ~~stricken through~~): **4.A.     PATIENT SELECTION.** While dentist*s*, in serving the public, may exercise reasonable discretion in selecting patients for their practices, dentists shall not refuse to accept patients into their practice or deny dental service to patients because of the patient’s race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation*,* ~~or~~ gender identity*,* ~~or~~ national origin *or disability*. **ADVISORY OPINION** **4.A.1.  PATIENTS WITH *DISABILITIES OR* BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS.** ~~A dentist has the general obligation to provide care to those in need. A decision not to provide treatment to an individual because the individual is infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus or another bloodborne pathogen, based solely on that fact, is unethical. Decisions with regard to the type of dental treatment provided or referrals made or suggested should be made on   the same basis as they are made with other patients.~~ As is the case with all patients, *when considering the treatment of patients with a physical, intellectual or developmental disability or disabilities, including patients infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus or another bloodborne pathogen, or are otherwise medically compromised,* the individual dentist should determine if he or she has the need of another’s skills, knowledge, equipment or ~~experience~~ *expertise, and if so, consultation or referral pursuant to Section 2.B hereof is indicated.  Decisions regarding the type of dental treatment provided, or referrals made or suggested, should be made on the same basis as they are made with other patients*. The dentist should also determine, after consultation with the patient’s physician, if appropriate, if the patient’s health status would be significantly compromised by the provision of dental treatment. NCD notes that a provider’s ability to provide treatment to patients with disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities, and a provider’s ability to find and confer with a provider that has the education and training to provide treatment to those patients, largely depends on CODA’s affirmative decision to change the relevant standard to help ensure members of the dental profession remain in compliance with their current professional responsibility and ethics requirements. Thank you for your time and consideration of this issue. Please contact Amged M. Soliman, NCD Attorney Advisor, at asoliman@ncd.gov or 202-272-2116, as needed. We look forward to further discussion on this important issue. Sincerely, Neil Romano
Chairman


Budget and Performance Congressional Budget Justification
            
            Financial Audits
            
            Buy American Act
            
            Government Performance and Results Act
 Resources Bylaws
            
            Strategic Plan
            
            Authorizing Statute
 Agency Governance News
            
            FOIA
            
            Contact NCD
            
            Subscribe for NCD News
 Policies / Statements No FEAR Act Data
            
            Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
            
            View accessibility statement
            
            View Equity Action Plan


twitter logoTwitter
 instagram logoInstagram
 linkedin logoLinkedIn
 facebook logoFacebook
 youtube logoYoutube
 
 Phone


NCD.gov
        An official website of the
          National Council on Disability