As a proud member of the Association for Dental Safety (ADS; formerly known as the Organization for Safety, Asepsis, and Prevention or OSAP), I first would like to wish everyone a Happy Dental Infection Control Awareness Month!
Here are the 5 things that the ADS would like you to know as you strive to create a safe dental visit for every patient:
Preventing the spread of infection is everyone's job!
Consistent infection control and prevention procedures rely on each person in the office to share the responsibility of keeping patients, the team, and the general public safe in their communities.
Maintaining an infection-prevention coordinator (IPC) is one way to prioritize infection prevention training. This individual is the content expert on disease prevention and can coach the team in maintaining an infection prevention program within the practice, assuring that effectiveness is maintained daily. In addition, this team member can also ensure that policies, procedures, and practices are useful, efficient, and successful as they are implemented, completed, and evaluated. For those interested, a micro-credential exists called the CDIPC (Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control) that the IPC can hold to prove competency in this assigned task!
Employers are responsible for assuring that all team members have equal access to training in infection control.
Although everyone is responsible for maintaining the office protocol and practices, the employer is responsible for assuring there is access to training.
Hosting these trainings at fun locations and creating games or skits to identify infection control challenges offers an engaging and enjoyable way to complete training, making it anything but boring.
Communication is key!
The IPC and practice owner will work as a captain and skipper to steer the boat on a safe path, yet it takes an entire crew to make sure the ride is safe. Team members need to be encouraged to have critical conversations when they see a protocol is not being followed, or if they have suggestions on how policies can be improved.
Before implementing any new technology or procedures, the team should meet to assure that all instructions for use (IFU) for the new items are followed and the office has systems in place to ensure infection prevention success!
Patients are smarter than ever when it comes to health literacy and infection prevention safety.
In a post-pandemic world, the patients we serve are more knowledgably than ever when it comes to hand washing, one time use items, and the correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Taking time to explain to patients the additional steps the team takes to keep them safe in the practice shows the patient how much the practice cares. This builds trust, and keeps patients inviting their friends and family to receive that same excellent level of care!
The ADS is there for you and provides an equitable seat at the table to every member of the dental community who is interested in joining the conversation.
The ADS provides a comprehensive website for viewing and interpretation of safety documents related to dental practice.
The ADS sends a weekly email to keep you updated on important news stories on the topic of dental infection prevention and safety. ADS also offers an educational newsletter, Infection Prevention In Practice. The bi-monthly publication features real-life scenarios with checklists on how to prevent negative dental infection prevention and safety outcomes. The guides have been developed for team discussion and activities. They are easy to follow and take the entire team through practical applications of infection control while reinforcing the learning with summaries and key takeaways. Each ICIP is worth 1 CE credit.
Editor’s note: ADS has bundled several free resources in honor of Dental Infection Control Awareness Month. Access them here!
