Code of Conduct

Background:

The goal of SIBAR Institute of Dental Sciences (SIDS) is to provide high quality education and encourage innovative teaching and learning in a flourishing research environment, which demands demonstration of personal responsibility and adherence to institutional policies from all the students, faculty, and management at different levels.

It is to be understood that the practice of health care delivery offers new challenges and poses new ethical dilemmas every day. It is difficult to make the student aware of all the possible ethical dilemmas and suggested courses of action during his/her clinical training alone. It is a continuous learning process, and SIDS encourages and supports the students to develop the ethical acumen to better face the challenges. Furthermore, students are encouraged to consult with a member of the department faculty in case of any questions regarding the correct course of action one should take in a given situation. Separate codes of conduct for the Dean/principal, teaching faculty, non-teaching faculty, and students have been specifically designed to ensure a non biased institution that works for its mission in a committed manner.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR DEAN / PRINCIPAL:

Should strive hard for the academic growth of institution.
Must play a proactive role in implementation of academic programs, designed as per the suggestions rendered by the academic council, conducive to insightful and comprehensive learning.
Maintenance of discipline in the institution.
Should abide to all the rules and regulations issued by DR. N.T.R University of Health Sciences, Dental Council of India, and the Government.
Supervising of university exams, progress of students, and assessment of teachers’ ability and maintenance of their service records.
Must encourage and facilitate research activities in the institution.
Should hold a dynamic vision and demonstrate commitment for community service.
Should adhere to unbiased decision-making processes and facilitate unbiased learning environment in the institution.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENTS (HODs):

HOD is responsible for conducting all academic programmers of the Department as per the norms of DR. N.T.R University of Health Sciences and Dental Council of India.
It is the responsibility of the HOD to prepare academic schedules in a manner that promotes comprehensive learning.
HOD must ensure optimum maintenance of clinical facilities in their respective departments in order to provide training to the students as per the norms of DR. N.T.R University of Health Sciences and Dental Council of India.
Must assume the responsibility of training and updating the faculty with regard to various departmental activities.
Should play a proactive role in ensuring proper evaluation of student’s performance and take remedial action to improve the performance of slow learners.
Maintenance of harmonious relations between students and faculty while ensuring discipline and ethical behavior of students.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR FACULTY MEMBERS:

Faculty members must demonstrate commitment and uphold the reputation of teaching profession.
It is the responsibility of the faculty to keep the teaching schedules updated.
All correspondence should be channelized through the principal.
Treat your colleagues with courtesy at all times and avoid open confrontation of any nature.
Be impartial in your decisions pertaining to the students and staff.
Being regular and punctual is a reflection of the academic commitment of the teacher.
All the faculty must follow a formal dress code with aprons.
Prior approval for leave must be obtained from the Dean / principal channelized through the head of the department. In case of emergency, inform the principal through telephonic communication without undue delay.
Encourage students to take part in research activities and attend research congregations.
Be considerate to the students’ problems.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF:

Administrative staff must demonstrate commitment and ensure the smooth functioning of the administrative affairs of the institution.
It is the responsibility of the administrative staff to coordinate with the departments regarding exam schedules, office correspondences etc., through proper channel.
All correspondence should be channelized through the Dean / principal.
Administrative staff must treat their colleagues, faculty and students with courtesy and avoid open confrontation under any circumstances.
Administrative staff must demonstrate regular attendance and punctuality.
Prior approval for leave must be obtained from the Dean / principal. In case of emergency, inform the Dean / principal through telephonic communication without undue delay.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR NON-TEACHING FACULTY:

All staff members must report to their designated places well ahead of the beginning of clinic / college time.
Maintaining confidentiality of a patient is a fundamental responsibility. Violation will result in disciplinary action.
Non-teaching faculty are advised to respect and facilitate the process of care availing by the patients. They should maintain good interaction with students without getting into confrontations with them.
Absence without prior approval is not entertained. It is the responsibility of the concerned staff to get approval for leave well in advance.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR STUDENTS:

a) Patient care delivery:

It is the fundamental desire of SIDS that patients seeking care at the institution be given respect, empathy, and support by all the students. All patient interactions must be conducted in designated patient care areas during clinical posting hours under faculty supervision. Patient interactions refer to any clinical activities other than what would be considered secretarial in nature. Faculty supervision implies that the instructor has been informed about what the student is doing and has agreed to supervise the student. Failure to comply constitutes a serious offence that will result in referral to the concerned faculty or HOD for disciplinary hearing.
All patient related entries in the institution’s digital patient record portal must be done under faculty supervision. It is the fundamental responsibility of the student to ensure that the details entered by him/her are accurate, and all entries must be duly approved by supervising faculty immediately. Fraudulent entries or alteration of a record or any other clinic document is considered a serious offence. Patient consent must be obtained prior to commencing the treatment.
Appropriate clinical attire must be worn whenever you are involved in patient care activities. The personal appearance of students is an important contributory factor in the impressions made on patients, members of the public. Therefore, it is the policy of SIDS to maintain guidelines on dress and grooming practices that foster a professional image.
Professional behavior includes treating patients, classmates, faculty, and staff with courtesy and respect in terms of language and actions. Professional behavior also includes leaving your work area (e.g. Dental chair/cubicle, lab stations) clean and ready for use by the next person.
The student is responsible for providing timely and appropriate dental care for the assigned patients, including emergency services. The student must be readily available to patient and the clinic staff as necessary. The student must provide patients with instructions needed to obtain emergency care in after hours, and care on holidays and weekends.
The dental chair/cubicle cleanliness protocol must be followed at all times and compliance will be monitored. Failure to comply will result in a warning for the first offence and referral to the Dean for the second offence. All laboratory safety protocol must be complied with.
As a courtesy to patients, students should speak to them in a language which they understand well. This may be Telugu, Hindi or English as per the convenience/preference of the patient. This is also important to ensure that the patient understands what clinical advice is given to them and to obtain their consent. The medium of instruction is English language and students and faculty are advised to communicate with each other in English language.

b) Academics:

It is mandatory for every student to attend at least 75% of the classes as stipulated by the university.
It is expected from students to be proactive in the learning process and demonstrate academic excellence.
Students must obtain approval for leave from the heads of the concerned departments / Principal well ahead. In case of emergency, the student is expected to explain in writing to the head of the concerned departments the reason for his/her absence. Repeated absence with no prior approval will result in disciplinary action.

c) Personal appearance:

Personal appearance reflects the professional image in the facilities of health care delivery. Dress and grooming should be appropriate for an individual’s duty and meet acceptable standards of cleanliness and safety. While attending the clinics, all the students must wear scrubs in the color designated for their program. Clothing should be in good condition, unwrinkled, well sized. A clean lab-coat and shoes must be worn in the laboratories.
Jewelry, if worn, should be clean and safe and appropriate for the environment. Dangling jewelry worn by students who work in clinics is unsafe and carry infective material from the patient hence, should not be worn. Tattoos, if any, are to be covered by clothing if possible. Colognes, perfumes and aftershaves should be applied minimally if at all.
Personal hygiene is very important. Hair should be clean, neatly arranged, safe and appropriate for the assigned duties. In the clinics and laboratories, hair longer than collar length must be pulled back and secured. Beards, moustaches must be clean, neat and trimmed. Students’ personal hygiene and appearance will be rated as part of the clinical performance evaluation.
In cases where dress or hygiene standards are not satisfied, HOD has the authority to take appropriate actions, including warnings and denial of access to clinics and laboratories. Students who repeatedly do not comply with the dress code may lose clinic privileges.

d) Effective communication with the patient:

Welcome the patient. Engage the patient with introductory questions/comments such as: “How did you find out about the college?” Are there specific reasons why you came to SIDS?” Do you have any immediate dental problems?”, and introduce yourself as a part of the team assigned to take care of all their dental problems. Compliment them on their interest in taking care of their teeth.
Review the benefits and inconveniences of coming to SIDS for dental care.
Explain the team treatment approach (student undertakes treatment under faculty supervision, and ancillary assistance wherever required). More senior students (e.g., interns, postgraduates) perform more advanced procedures.
Explain how their treatment will commence in Telugu/English or any other language which is convenient to the patient. It begins with a complete evaluation of their medical and dental conditions (Pre-treatment data gathering). A sequential treatment plan will be presented along with estimated fees prior to starting treatment (presentation of approved treatment plan).

e) Gaining patient’s confidence:

Be on time, Be well-groomed and professional in your
Introduce yourself at the first encounter with a warm and courteous
Greet your patient respectfully, usually by Shri/Smt/Mr/Mrs/Sir/Madam.
Treat your patient like any other person you would like to get to know.
- Find out about the individual, family, hobbies, etc, and not just the dental problems.
Ask for and listen to the patient’s complaints and concerns.
- Write them down; make certain you address the concerns or complaints.
- What items are most important to them? What options can you provide to meet them?
Return calls promptly.

Sanctions for non-adherence will depend on the frequency and severity of the breach. Possible sanctions include a verbal warning, written warning, or referral to the department head for disciplinary action. If a student wishes to appeal a sanction imposed on him/her, he/she can request direct referral of the case to the Principal

Code of conduct statement - Students

The following is the code of conduct for the students of SIDS. This code was developed with inputs from the administration, faculty and students with aim of defining the values and principles that are shared by students, faculty, and administration.

Academic and professional ethics:

I will:

Treat faculty, fellow-students, patients, and staff in a professional, courteous, and respectful manner
Adhere to the patient rights, including respect for patient confidentiality
Maintain the confidentiality of internal and external professional examinations taken during my enrolment in the BDS/MDS program. I will not reproduce, share or use unauthorized/unreleased examination content through memorization, recording, or posting of questions, or answers in any format.
Attend to clinical work/appointments well prepared, appropriately dressed and with the necessary armamentarium
Adhere to the specific code of conduct described here.
Adhere to clinic and laboratory cleanliness protocols established at the college.
Comply with infection control and safety guidelines of the college
Consult a member of the administration or faculty if I am unsure that I am following college policy.
Report unethical behavior to the concerned faculty, the course in-charge, or to the Dean.

As I enter the profession of Dentistry, I am aware of the ethical, moral, and professional standards I am expected to uphold. My signature indicates that I agree to abide by all of the provisions of this code as well as the professional conduct code herein and to appropriate student conduct and discipline in general. I understand that a violation of this ethics code shall constitute a violation subject to discipline under the SIDS policy on student conduct and discipline.

Signature :

Student’s Name : Roll Number:

Date:

Code of conduct for patients:

The SIBAR Institute of Dental Sciences is dedicated to delivering top-notch healthcare and creating flourishing, healthy communities. In all of our venues, everyone should expect a safe, compassionate, and inclusive atmosphere. Our patient code of behavior aids us in achieving this objective. Disrespectful, aggressive, harassing, or discriminating language or behavior is not acceptable, nor is failing to adhere to a professional’s advice about oral health care.

The following are not permitted during treatment, on campus, or when speaking with staff:

Offensive comments on a person’s gender, sexual orientation, caste, religion, accent, or other personal characteristics.
Refusal to visit a clinician or other staff member based on caste, creed and gender or other personal characteristics.
Verbal and physical abuse and threats.
Sexual or obscene language or deeds.
Interfering with another patient’s experience or treatment.
Ignoring a doctor’s instructions or prescription, skipping appointments repeatedly, and blaming the results.
Loud talks in the stairwell and patient waiting area.
Leaving kid’s unsupervised while on campus.
Blocking the elevator or packing it too full.
If there are any issues or violations that arise during therapy, patients are asked to meet with the dean or the front office so that the appropriate measures can be implemented.