The modern version of a professional chastity belt

Abstract

So, a new patient came in, an attractive, 35-yearold woman, whose chief complaint was that she has been referred by her general dentist for preprosthetic implant-site space reopening and development in the lower left posterior quadrant. It’s no big deal, simple really, but at the end of the initial screening and before we got into the detailed clinical examination, right after the medical history and review of systems, the patient said, “so, are you going to hit on me now, too?” I said “excuse me?” and patted myself on the back for always requiring an assistant to be present when I am treating a female patient. She retorted, “well, the last orthodontist I went to see wanted to, um, get together for a drink and whatever, and let’s just say that at the present time my dance card is full. On top of that, once I told him I really wasn’t interested, he kept persisting, making discreetly veiled comments laced with innuendo and double entendres, all of which made me feel uncomfortable. I tried to end his come-on by saying that I didn’t think I could afford the fee, although I certainly can, but he said he was sure something could be worked out.” I stopped her right there, telling her that she had nothing to worry about from me and that “even though I am on a diet, I still like to peruse the menu now and then, but I have no interest in anything other than my usual fare.” She smiled at my quick-witted banter, and we moved on to more important things such as her orthodontic requirements. This verbal intercourse started me thinking about a law, recently passed in Florida, that defines this type of dialogue as sexual misconduct for which, if one is found guilty, one stands a good chance of losing one’s license. Florida Statutes, Section 456.063, defines sexual misconduct by a health-care practitioner: