Conflict of Interest in Dentistry

The emergence of different types of economic relations and the desire of professionals to earn more income has led to new challenges such as conflicts of interest in the dental profession. The community expects dentists to prioritize the health and the interests of their patients in their professional activities. In this regard, one of the most important dilemmas is the confrontation between the professional duties of dentists and their profit. Business goals being preferred rather than providing specialized knowledge services by dentist is a major concern, which can lead to patients’ distrust. Fee splitting, Self-referral, receiving gifts from the patient and industrial companies are among the most significant type of conflicts of interest in the profession, which are discussed in this article in the form of four clinical cases.