Which term means terminating care or leaving a patient without proper transfer?

• A. Common Law (Case)
• B. Battery
• C. Abandon
• D. Accreditation

Answer: (C)

Abandonment refers to terminating care or leaving a patient without a proper transfer to another qualified clinician. In dental hygiene practice, you’re responsible for ensuring continuity of care. If you must stop treating a patient, you should give reasonable notice, arrange for a transfer to a competent colleague, and ensure records and essential information are shared so the patient can continue receiving treatment. Doing otherwise can put the patient at risk and may be considered unprofessional conduct or malpractice, with potential disciplinary and legal consequences.

Common Law (Case) describes how courts make law from precedent, not the act of ending care. Battery is unwanted, intentional contact, not related to ending care. Accreditation is the process of evaluating and recognizing organizations for meeting standards, not the act of terminating care.