Utilitarianism

    A dentist has asked his assistant to perform a cleaning on a patient. The assistant has observed many cleanings and she’s confident she can do a good job. But the assistant is not licensed to carry out a cleaning and she points this out to her boss. The dentist offers her $30 cash on the side and the assistant accepts the arrangement. The assistant performs the cleaning and the procedure goes smoothly. The patient has no idea what’s happened and is satisfied with the office visit. Fully explain and apply utilitarianism to this particular situation. Was it OK for the dentist and assistant to treat the patient this way? Describe how utilitarianism works in general and address factors that would be important according to this view. Do you think the dentist and assistant behaved morally? Justify your own view.