Sexual advances by patients in dental practice: implications for the dental and dental hygiene curricula

Abstract

The occurrence of patient initiated sexual advances toward dental health professionals has not previously been examined. Information from other health care specialties and reports from dental and dental hygiene students indicate that such advances do occur and that providers are rarely educated to deal effectively with them. Utilizing an anonymous survey of 300 Oregon dentists and 300 dental hygienists, this study sought to quantify the frequency of patient initiated sexual advances toward dental professionals and to survey practitioners as to their reactions to and methods of dealing with such advances. The information provided by the 483 (81 percent) respondents indicates that up to 44 percent of providers experience one or more patient verbal advances and up to 23 percent of providers experience one or more patient physical advances during a five year period. These advances are a significant source of concern for many dental professionals. Based upon this information, implications for the dental and dental hygiene curricula are considered.