Getting paid to be a boards patient ethical?

[dent_wannabe]

I'm a first year who just happened to have a class II, and that allowed me to qualify to be a fourth year's boards patient. I'm sure for them, it relieved a lot of stress off their back in terms of securing a hopefully reliable patient. They offered to pay me a little bit of money for my time. I heard some people saying that there are ethical issues with the idea of paying for patients. Would it be unethical for me to accept the payment for being their patient?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[frozenicecreamDMD]

lol just take it, if the amount is 100-200$ that is reasonable. most if not all board patients get paid. its not unethical. dont worry about it. that DS4 will remember you for the rest of his life.

 

[FutureDent020]

It’s absolutely ethical if they are offering and is generally the case anyways. I had to pay 1/2 of operative patients and also paid for my perio patient. You’re doing them a huge favor. Accept the money.

 

[pubhealthdent]

I'm a first year who just happened to have a class II, and that allowed me to qualify to be a fourth year's boards patient. I'm sure for them, it relieved a lot of stress off their back in terms of securing a hopefully reliable patient. They offered to pay me a little bit of money for my time. I heard some people saying that there are ethical issues with the idea of paying for patients. Would it be unethical for me to accept the payment for being their patient?

Not unethical. Definitely the norm across the country. Wish it didn't have to be that way but when your licensure depends on people showing up, money talks

 

[AONLINE]

Trust me, you’ll feel you deserve the money after having to walk around the clinic floor all morning with the dental dam on.

 

[Advance]

Yep definitely paying my patients to show up. No shame. I can’t think of anything worse than a pt not showing up to my licensing exam....

 

[TXftw]

Don’t drink the kool aid. The unethical argument is a bunch of crap perpetuated by clueless dental school administration to insert a conflict into your life. Boards resto exams take an average 3 hours for one restoration from what I’ve seen/experienced. It’s common courtesy to compensate your patient for that time with an uncomfortable rubber dam on, walking back and forth from check stations. If there’s anything unethical it’s the exam itself. Take the money knowing you did that fourth year a favor

 

[Saddleshoes]

Think about this idea...

If you wait until you are a D3 to have your restoration done in a board setting it would be far more valuable to you for this reason. You can scope out the whole board process. You can make sure you are a patient in exactly the same board you will be taking in the next go round.

I was a patient the year before I took the board. It helped me understand the whole process and I was far more comfortable as a result.

 

[beannaithe]

Not unethical, but it's actually a good spot for you to be in even if you aren't getting paid. You'll see what it's like during the licensing exam so you know what to expect when you're taking it in a few years. You'll also see what happens behind the scenes with the judges and how they grade the restorations. I would sit for the exam for that reason alone. Keep in mind, you may not be allowed to sit in a few years. When I took my exam, only 1st and 2nd years were allowed to sit. No one who was in the clinic could sit/assist. If you can, I would sit this year and assist next year if you can.

 

[AONLINE]

Think about this idea...

If you wait until you are a D3 to have your restoration done in a board setting it would be far more valuable to you for this reason. You can scope out the whole board process. You can make sure you are a patient in exactly the same board you will be taking in the next go round.

I was a patient the year before I took the board. It helped me understand the whole process and I was far more comfortable as a result.

Why don’t you become an assistant for the boards when you’re a D3? It would be more beneficial for you than being a patient. You might even get paid or at least get a big gift card from the D4 that you assist.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[Humbl3Pye]

Think about this idea...

If you wait until you are a D3 to have your restoration done in a board setting it would be far more valuable to you for this reason. You can scope out the whole board process. You can make sure you are a patient in exactly the same board you will be taking in the next go round.

I was a patient the year before I took the board. It helped me understand the whole process and I was far more comfortable as a result.

I agree exposure closer to when you take the exam is valuable, just be sure you check the patient eligibility requirements. I know for WREB you cannot be a patient if you have been in dental school for more than two years. You can assist as a third year but cannot be a patient. CDCA is the same as well from what I’ve heard but I haven’t read their manual.

 

[apicalforamen]

Nothing about the current licensure exam is ethical.