Considerations for use of dental photography and electronic media in dental education and clinical practice.

Photography and electronic media are indispensable tools for dental education and clinical practice. Although previous research has focused on privacy issues and general strategies to protect patient privacy when sharing clinical photographs for educational purposes, there are no published recommendations for developing a functional, privacy-compliant institutional framework for the capture, storage, transfer, and use of clinical photographs and other electronic media. The aims of this study were to research patient rights relating to electronic media and propose a framework for the use of patient media in education and clinical care. After a review of the relevant literature and consultation with the University of Washington's director of privacy and compliance and assistant attorney general, the researchers developed a privacy-compliant framework to ensure appropriate capture, storage, transfer, and use of clinical photography and electronic media. A four-part framework was created to guide the use of patient media that reflects considerations of patient autonomy and privacy, informed consent, capture and storage of media, and its transfer, use, and display. The best practices proposed for capture, storage, transfer, and use of clinical photographs and electronic media adhere to the health care code of ethics (based on patient autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, and veracity), which is most effectively upheld by a practical framework designed to protect patients and limit institutional liability. Educators have the opportunity and duty to convey these principles to students who will become the next generation of dentists, researchers, and educators.

A validade ética e legal das fotografias digitais na ortodontia / The ethical and legal validity of digital photographs in orthodontics

A utilização de imagens digitais constituiu-se em um dos grandes benefícios que a evolução tecnológica proporcionou à Ortodontia. A introdução da fotografia digital permitiu aos profissionais utilizar recursos que facilitam a elaboração do diagnóstico e do planejamento ortodôntico, auxiliando a comunicação entre eles e também com os pacientes, além de ser importante ferramenta para o ensino e a pesquisa. Apesar destas vantagens, a utilização de fotografias digitais é frequentemente questionada quanto ao seu valor ético e legal. Dessa forma, através de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, este trabalho buscou abordar todos estes aspectos envolvidos na utilização deste recurso. Concluiu-se que os profissionais dessa área ainda desconhecem o tema, tornando-se necessário discuti-lo a fim de criar consciência da obrigação clínica, ética e legal quando forem utilizados. Além disso, concluiu-se também que ainda são necessárias ferramentas que assegurem valor legal absoluto a esse tipo de fotografia, evitando os riscos de manipulações ilícitas.

The use of digital images constitutes one of the great benefits that technological change provides to Orthodontics. The introduction of digital photography allows professionals to use features that facilitate the development of diagnostic and orthodontic planning, aid communication between them and also with patients, in addition to being an important tool for teaching and research. Despite these advantages, the use of digital photographs is often questioned as to their legal and ethical value. Thus, through a literature review, this study aimed to show all these aspects involved in the use of digital photographs in orthodontics. It was concluded that professionals are still do not know of the issue, making it necessary to discuss it in order to create awareness of the obligation clinical, ethical and legal when used such resources. One can also conclude that tools are still needed to ensure absolute legal value to this type of photography avoiding the risks of illegal tampering.

The ethics of social media in dental practice: challenges.

This is the first of two essays written to consider several important trends in dental practice that result from innovations in digital and social media. This essay reviews ethical and legal implications of the use of websites, Facebook, review sites, email and other digital innovations in dental practice. The second essay provides ethical tools for analysis, illuminates areas of ethical concern in today's practice environment and offers recommendations for future practice.

Need for greater consensus on protection of patient anonymity and rights in facial photographs: a survey of international and domestic oral surgery journals.

Although the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors has announced that masking the eye area in clinical photographs is inadequate for protection of patient anonymity, such examples can frequently be found in the field of oral surgery, indicating a large gap between the ideal and reality. In this study, two internationally and one domestically distributed journal published between 2009 and 2011 were analyzed. All articles containing clinical photographs of a patient's facial area were extracted and assessed based on 3 criteria: 1) extent of facial area visible, 2) necessity of showing eye area, and 3) presence or absence and form of eye masking. Showing the eye area was judged necessary in a total of 69.7% and 72.4% of photographs in the international journals, but in only 34.4% in the domestic journal. No eye masking was observed in 46.0% of photographs in one international journal and in only 4.7% in the domestic journal. Inappropriate masking occurred in 57.8% in the domestic journal. These results indicate that usage of eye masking reflects the editorial policy of a journal, influencing both author and reader consciousness. Although there may be problems in adhering to privacy regulations in a clinical setting, more needs to be done to ensure patient privacy in both journals and an educational setting.

Informed consent for photography in dental practice.

There are many reasons why patient images are used in dental practice. They are incorporated into the dental record as an adjunct to clinical care, displayed to colleagues, students and other audiences in educational settings, and published in scientific journals or other media as part of dental research. In each case it is not only prudent, but necessary for the patients' protection and interest that appropriate consent be obtained. While scientific journals invariably require written consent for photographs that may identify the patient, the format of the photograph consent form is usually not specified, nor is it always clear which images require consent. With the proliferation of published images on the Internet it has become particularly important to obtain permission for all uses that will be made of dental images, including worldwide distribution through various electronic media.