Registration opens for OSAP's annual infection control symposium

Registration is now open for the must-attend event of the year for those on the front lines of infection prevention in oral health care. The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) will host its 30th Anniversary Symposium June 5-8 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis in Minneapolis, Minn. This landmark educational event addresses emerging and current issues of concern to dental professionals responsible for infection control and patient and provider safety. The OSAP Symposium is tailored to risk managers, infection-control coordinators in large group practices, educators, consultants, compliance officers of state dental boards, researchers, policymakers, and representatives from companies that sell infection-control products.RELATED |OSAP offers hepatitis C prevention information toolkit In 2014, OSAP celebrates three decades of leading the fight for oral health-care safety, and in keeping with that message, the theme of this year’s symposium is “Moving Forward to a Safer Tomorrow in Dentistry.” “OSAP was conceived in the era of wet-fingered dentistry. The need for an organization dedicated to infection prevention was critical in the early 1980s and is even more relevant today,” said Therese Long, OSAP’s executive director. “This year’s symposium marks OSAP’s 30 years at the forefront of infection prevention in oral health care, and will look ahead to prepare its community of leaders for future challenges and opportunities in dental safety.”ADDITIONAL READING |Are you ready for the next 100 years? Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, is this year’s Dr. John S. Zapp keynote lecturer and will address emerging diseases, antibiotic resistance and how to adapt to and manage these issues of concern. Dr. Osterholm serves as the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) and is a world leader on public health preparedness for pandemics and bioterrorism. With up to 18 hours of continuing education available, attendees will learn to describe current and emerging issues related to infection prevention and safety in oral healthcare throughout the world; list new resources, tools, and networks to optimize compliance; identify important attributes to develop the next generation of global leadership for the optimal delivery of infection prevention and safety; and connect to a community of infection control leaders including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The symposium will feature new infection research and scientific abstracts, a New Product Showcase, complimentary pre- and post-conference workshops, and the opportunity for OSAP members to present at a new forum called “Ignite,” a series of five-minute sessions on compliance solutions. Click here for details. To better understand the powerful educational opportunities available at the OSAP Symposium, you can review the 2013 Symposium proceedings. This is an executive summary that distills three days of in-depth content into actionable information. The proceedings include the investigation of a hepatitis C virus transmission in Oklahoma and CDC’s role in outbreak investigations, an international forum with in-depth discussions of facts about dental healthcare in Brazil, Mexico and Panama, and much more. The online document features key takeaways, suggestions on implementation of the topic, reminders, references, and a link to the presentation. The resource is available here. Don’t miss the 2014 OSAP Symposium. Register today and plan to attend June 5–8 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. For more information about OSAP, visit their website.