Cultural Sensitivity In Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery: The Ethical Role Of Dental Assistants In Dental Modification Practices

Abstract

Dental modification has long been recognized within dental anthropology as a culturally embedded practice that conveys meanings related to identity, social belonging, aesthetics, and values rather than pathology or disease. In contemporary dental settings, such practices often intersect with biomedical norms, creating ethical challenges that require cultural sensitivity and moral awareness. While ethical discussions in dentistry have traditionally focused on dentists, the role of dental assistants in navigating these culturally sensitive encounters remains underexplored.

This article adopts a cultural, ethical, and axiological perspective to examine the ethical role of dental assistants in dental practices involving culturally rooted dental modification. Drawing on literature from dental anthropology, bioethics, and people-centred care frameworks, the analysis positions dental assistants as key moral and cultural agents within everyday dental practice. Their close interaction with patients situates them at the forefront of communication, interpretation, and ethical mediation between institutional standards and patients’ cultural narratives.

The article argues that dental assistants contribute significantly to ethical practice by safeguarding patient dignity, supporting cultural recognition, and preventing symbolic or cultural harm. Through language, documentation, and interpersonal engagement, they translate abstract ethical principles—such as respect for autonomy, non-maleficence, and justice—into lived professional practice. Recognizing their ethical agency challenges hierarchical models of responsibility in dentistry and supports a more inclusive understanding of moral practice in healthcare.

By foregrounding the ethical and cultural dimensions of dental assisting, this study contributes to broader philosophical discussions on culture, values, and everyday ethics in health professions. It concludes that integrating cultural sensitivity into the professional identity and education of dental assistants is essential for fostering humane, inclusive, and ethically responsive dental care.