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Care first. Always.

Code of Ethics for dentists

Trust is built chair by chair.
Ethics is how you keep it.

Ten principles that guide ethical dental practice in India, written in plain language for dentists, clinic teams and the patients they serve.

Patient welfareInformed consentHonest practicePrivacyProfessional conduct

Why ethics matters in dentistry

Patients trust dentists with pain, fear and personal information. Skill alone does not earn that trust. Compassion, honesty and respect for the patient's choices do.

How to use this page

Use it as a clinic reference for new staff and associates, or as a checklist for your own practice. Every dentist should also read the rules of their own State Dental Council.

01

The patient comes first

Every decision starts with what is best for the patient, not the clinic.

  • Put the patient's health and welfare above convenience or income.
  • Be courteous, patient and dignified with every person who walks in.
  • Treat emergencies and distress with urgency and kindness.
02

Competence and honesty

Offer only the care you are trained and equipped to provide.

  • Practise methods that rest on sound scientific evidence.
  • Refer the patient to a colleague or specialist when a case is beyond your skill or equipment.
  • Keep learning through courses, seminars and workshops, and meet any council requirements.
03

Informed consent

A patient can only agree to what they understand.

  • Explain the diagnosis, the options, the likely outcome, the risks and the cost in simple words, in a language the patient knows.
  • Record consent before invasive or irreversible treatment.
  • Respect a patient's right to say no or to seek a second opinion.
04

Fair and transparent fees

No surprises at the billing desk.

  • Share the expected cost of treatment before you begin.
  • Give a proper, itemised bill and receipt for every payment.
  • Do not recommend treatment that is not needed.
05

Records you can stand behind

Good records protect the patient and the dentist.

  • Keep clear, dated clinical records for every patient, in a form accepted by the council.
  • Keep them for the period the rules require, and longer when in doubt.
  • Give a patient or authorised authority a copy when properly asked, within the time the rules allow.
  • Prefer digital records that are easy to find and back up.
06

Confidentiality and privacy

What a patient tells you stays with you.

  • Share patient details only with people who need them for care, or when the law requires.
  • Get permission before using a patient's photos, X-rays or story for teaching, social media or marketing.
  • Protect screens, files and devices from casual viewing.
07

Honest advertising

Let your work and your reputation speak.

  • Keep announcements and websites accurate and modest.
  • Avoid promising results, claiming to be "the best", or comparing yourself with other dentists.
  • Show only qualifications and registrations that you really hold.
08

Respect for colleagues

Dentistry works best when the team does.

  • Speak about colleagues fairly and never run them down in front of patients.
  • Share knowledge and support junior dentists and staff.
  • Do not take credit for another person's work, or pay or accept a fee for referrals.
09

Safety and hygiene

A safe clinic is part of ethical care.

  • Follow sterilisation, infection control and radiation safety practice.
  • Keep equipment and medicines in good, valid condition.
  • Handle clinical waste in the way the law requires.
10

Responsibility to society

Dentists serve more than the patients in the chair.

  • Support oral health awareness in your community.
  • Treat every patient without discrimination.
  • Raise concerns, through the right channels, about unsafe or unethical practice you see.

Please note. This page is a plain-language guide in Ivoro Dental's own words. It is general information, not legal advice, and it does not replace the Dentists Act, the Dental Council of India regulations or your State Dental Council's rules. For the formal professional code, read the Indian Dental Association's published Code of Ethics at ida.org.in. Ivoro Dental is an independent software company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Indian Dental Association or the Dental Council of India.

Ethical care needs tidy records.

Ivoro helps your clinic keep consent forms, records and invoices in one place.

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