Abstract
This reflective narrative explores the ethical tensions and emotional realities of a dental hygienist who is also the parent of a child with Pompe disease. Drawing from personal experience and care ethics philosophy, the author examines how traditional clinical frameworks—centered on autonomy, beneficence, and protocol— often fall short when addressing the needs of medically fragile children. The piece weaves in the work of care ethicists and pastoral ministry to embrace the philosophy of caregiving as presence, to suggest that oral healthcare must evolve to include responsiveness, context, and relationship-based decision-making. Through the dual lens of provider and parent, the narrative invites the dental profession to expand its ethical imagination and embrace care not only as technical competence, but as a relational, human act. The story offers a model of reflective practice grounded in attentiveness, restraint, and compassionate presence—especially for patients who cannot speak for themselves.
Recommended Citation
Atkins, Anika MA, RDH
(2026)
"The Mouth as a Mirror: A Parent- Hygienist’s Ethical Reflections on Oral Healthcare and Pompe Disease,"
Journal of the American College of Dentists: Vol. 92:
No.
2, Article 8.
Available at:
https://commons.ada.org/jacd/vol92/iss2/8
Included in
Applied Ethics Commons, Bioethics and Medical Ethics Commons, Dental Hygiene Commons, Pediatric Dentistry and Pedodontics Commons