Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

Dental Tribune U.S. Edition | February 2012XX XXXXX Dental Tribune U.S. Edition | May 2013A2 NEWS Publisher & Chairman Torsten Oemus t.oemus@dental-tribune.com Chief OPerating OffiCer Eric Seid e.seid@dental-tribune.com grOuP editOr Robin Goodman r.goodman@dental-tribune.com editOr in Chief dental tribune Dr. David L. Hoexter feedback@dental-tribune.com managing editOr u.s. and Canada editiOns Robert Selleck r.selleck@dental-tribune.com managing editOr Fred Michmershuizen f.michmershuizen@dental-tribune.com managing editOr Sierra Rendon s.rendon@dental-tribune.com managing editOr shOw dailies Kristine Colker k.colker@dental-tribune.com PrOduCt/aCCOunt manager Mara Zimmerman m.zimmerman@dental-tribune.com PrOduCt/aCCOunt manager Charles Serra c.serra@dental-tribune.com marketing direCtOr Anna Kataoka-Wlodarczyk a.wlodarczyk@dental-tribune.com eduCatiOn direCtOr Christiane Ferret c.ferret@dtstudyclub.com aCCOunting COOrdinatOr Nirmala Singh n.singh@dental-tribune.com Tribune America, LLC 116 West 23rd St., Ste. #500 New York, N.Y. 10011 (212) 244-7181 Published by Tribune America © 2013 Tribune America, LLC All rights reserved. Dental Tribune strives to maintain the utmost accu- racy in its news and clinical reports. If you find a fac- tual error or content that requires clarification, please contact Managing Editor Robert Selleck at r.selleck@ dental-tribune.com. Dental Tribune cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims or for typographical errors. The publisher also does not assume responsibility for product names or statements made by advertisers. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and may not reflect those of Tribune America. editOrial bOard Dr. Joel Berg Dr. L. Stephen Buchanan Dr. Arnaldo Castellucci Dr. Gorden Christensen Dr. Rella Christensen Dr. William Dickerson Hugh Doherty Dr. James Doundoulakis Dr. David Garber Dr. Fay Goldstep Dr. Howard Glazer Dr. Harold Heymann Dr. Karl Leinfelder Dr. Roger Levin Dr. Carl E. Misch Dr. Dan Nathanson Dr. Chester Redhead Dr. Irwin Smigel Dr. Jon Suzuki Dr. Dennis Tartakow Dr. Dan Ward Tell us what you think! Do you have general comments or criti- cism you would like to share? Is there a particular topic you would like to see articles about in Dental Tribune? Let us know by e-mailing feedback@dental- tribune.com. We look forward to hear- ing from you! If you would like to make any change to your subscription (name, address or to opt out) please send us an e-mail at database@dental-tribune.com and be sure to include which publica- tion you are referring to. Also, please note that subscription changes can take up to six weeks to process. DENTAL TRIBUNE The World’s Dental Newspaper · US EditionOSDH, “Those persons whose tests are positive are being personally contacted and counseled about information spe- cific to the disease for which the test was positive, and they will be directed to re- sources for appropriate care and follow up. If warranted, testing will be recom- mended for a spouse or partner.” The release notes that “some of the positive screening tests are likely a re- sult of infection exposure not related to dental procedures at the Harrington practice,” and it provides general state- wide statistics on the three diseases, noting that some 68,000 Oklahomans may be infected with hepatitis C, which is the most common blood-borne infec- tion in the U.S. “This is a complex investigation,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Kristy Bradley is quoted as saying in the release. “The next phase will include more in-depth interviews of persons who test positive to determine the likelihood that their exposure is associated with their dental surgical procedure at the Harrington practice. We will certainly continue to keep the public informed as we learn more.” ADA, AGD quick to respond to media and members The American Dental Association issued a press release emphasizing details on how dental practices follow stringent guidelines on infection control, which included the statement; “The ADA has long recommended that all practicing dentists, dental team members and den- tal laboratories use standard precau- tions as described in the Centers for Dis- ease Control and Prevention’s Infection Control in Dental Health Care Settings guidelines. Studies show that follow- ing proper infection control procedures greatly reduces risk to patients to the point of an extremely remote possibil- ity.” In an Academy of General Dentistry press release, AGD President Dr. Jeffrey M. Cole is quoted as saying, “Heat steril- ization of dental instruments helps pre- vent the spread of diseases like hepati- tis and HIV. By following stringent best practices, AGD dentists maintain a com- mitment to patient health and safety. … If your dentist is an AGD member, you can be confident that he or she strives to provide the best quality care to their patients by utilizing the most current safety protocols.” Talking points to help dental professional ease patients' concerns On its website, the ADA made a num- ber of talking points available to den- tal practices to use for guidance when responding to questions from patients that are likely to be prompted by the news coverage of Oklahoma story. Among the 13 talking points from the ADA are these: • Nondisposable dental instruments are cleaned and sterilized between pa- tients. In my office, we sterilize instru- ments using (describe whether you use an autoclave, which involves steam un- der pressure, dry heat or chemical ster- ilization. If you wish, you could offer to show your patients your sterilization or set-up area). • Disposable items like needles or gauze are placed in special bags or con- tainers for special, monitored disposal. • Your well-being is important to me and my staff, which is why we follow stringent infection control procedures and comply with all state regulations for the protection of patients. The ADA also distributed two Issues Alerts to members, citing resources on infection control. ADA spokespersons also have been quoted in the national media. ADHA emphasizes standards A news release from the American Den- tal Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) stat- ed: “As part of its Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice (adha.org/prac- tice), ADHA advocates for dental hygien- ists to maintain compliance with estab- lished infection control standards that follow the most current evidence-based guidelines to reduce the risks of health- care-associated infections in patients, and illnesses and injuries in healthcare personnel. “The standards are used by dental hy- gienists to shape their knowledge, atti- tudes, beliefs, practices and behaviors that support and enhance oral health with the ultimate goal of improving overall health.” DANB promotes certification training for assistants The Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), the only national certification board for dental assistants recognized by the ADA, issued a release that includ- ed these statements: “We are alarmed by the recent news and share our deepest sympathy and concerns for the patients involved. We are saddened that events like this occur that compromise public safety. … Dentists are ultimately respon- sible for ensuring the practice is in com- pliance with state law. “To assist dentists in their hiring deci- sions, DANB provides a free online cre- dential verification database to verify the names of dental assistants who have earned DANB national certifications, as well as those who have earned certifi- cates of knowledge-based competency in important areas such as radiation health and safety, infection control, cor- onal polish, sealants, topical anesthetic and topical fluoride.” OSAP provides guidance on putting patients at ease The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) issued a press release aimed at dental professionals in which it outlined a number of points practices could use with patients expressing con- cern with the practices infection-con- trol protocols. Among the seven points offered: “Re- assurance that instruments are main- tained in sterile pouches or wrap until they are needed for patient care. It may be particularly useful to only open pouches once patients have arrived, so they may see for themselves that the in- struments are properly packaged.” And this: “Reassure the patient that all pro- cedures requiring licensure or certifica- tion are provided only by professionals licensed to provide those services.” “ INFECTION, page A1 Infection-control talking points from the ADA • I'm glad you asked me about this because I want to assure you that in my den- tal practice, we follow stringent infection control procedures. • Also, as your doctor, I would only delegate procedures to my staff that they are licensed or qualified to perform per state regulations. • I care about my patients; your health and safety are my foremost priorities. • Studies show that following proper infection control procedures greatly re- duces risk to patients to the point of an extremely remote possibility. • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed special recom- mendations for use in dental offices. • Let me describe just a few of the things that we do in my practice in terms of infection control. • All dental staff involved in patient care scrub their hands before each and ev- ery patient and use appropriate protective garb such as gloves, masks, gowns and eyewear. • A new set of gloves and masks are used for each patient. • Before you enter the examining room, all surfaces, such as the dental chair, instrument tray, dental light, drawer handles and countertops, have been cleaned and decontaminated. • Nondisposable dental instruments are cleaned and sterilized between pa- tients. In my office, we sterilize instruments using (describe whether you use an autoclave which involves steam under pressure, dry heat or chemical ster- ilization. If you wish, you could offer to show your patients your sterilization or set-up area). • Disposable items like needles or gauze are placed in special bags or containers for special, monitored disposal. • Your well-being is important to me and my staff, which is why we follow strin- gent infection control procedures and comply with all state regulations for the protection of patients. • You can visit the American Dental Association's website at www.mouth healthy. org and use the search term “infection control” to see a video on this topic. The website has a lot of information to help you take care of your oral health, too. (Source: American Dental Association, www.ada.org/news/8459.aspx)