| I've heard about universal precautions.
Can you tell me what they are?
Universal precautions are safety procedures
established by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and the American
Dental Association. They are used for
each and every patient to prevent the
transmission of the AIDS virus and other
infectious diseases. These precautions
require all dental staff involved in
patient care to use appropriate protective
garb such as gloves, and sometimes masks
and eyewear. After each patient visit,
the gloves are discarded, hands are washed
and a new pair of gloves is used for
the next patient.
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Do you sterilize the instruments including
the handpiece (drill) after each patient?
According to a recent study in the journal
of the American Dental Association, virtually
all dentists sterilize their handpiece
(drill) between patients. Dental offices
follow specific heat sterilization procedures
which are outlined by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and the
American Dental Association. Disposable
items, such as needles and saliva ejectors,
cannot be sterilized and are discarded
in special containers.
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How do you sterilize the instruments?
Can you show me how it's done?
Dental instruments are cleaned and sterilized
at very high temperatures after each
time they are used on a patient. Recommended
sterilization methods include: an autoclave
(steam under pressure), a dry heat oven,
or chemical vapor (commonly called a
chemiclave). The sterilization equipment
usually is not in the treatment room,
but if you'd like to see how and where
it's done, ask the dental staff to show
you.
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How do you clean and disinfect the examining
room, and how often is this done?
Before you enter the examining room, all
surfaces, such as the dental chair, dental
light, drawer handles and countertops
have been cleaned and decontaminated.
Some offices may cover this equipment
with protective covers, which are replaced
after each patient. Sharp items and anything
contaminated with blood or saliva are
disposed of in special containers.
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Are there other safety guidelines that
dentists must follow?
Yes. OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety
and Health Administration, has specific
regulations that protect employees from
injury and illness in the work place.
These "safe workplace" regulations
pertain to occupational settings, including
dental offices with one or more employees.
While the primary purpose of the regulations
is to safeguard employees, these procedures
also protect the patient. For example,
gloves provide protection for both you
and the dental team.
Don't let uncertainty about safety keep
you away from the dentist's office, or
cause anxiety while you're there, when
a few minutes of conversation with your
dentist can set your mind at ease.
Your dental health is too important to
neglect. Remember to learn the facts
about your dentist's infection control
procedures by starting with a little
heart-to-heart.
If you don't have a dentist, you can obtain
ADA referrals by contacting your local
dental society. The local dental society
is usually listed in the telephone directory
under "dentist" or "association."
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What are the things to look for?
- Is the dental office clean and orderly?
- Is the dental staff helpful
and willing to answer
your questions?
- Do the dentist and staff
wear gloves and other
appropriate
protective gear during
all actual patient
treatment?
- Do the dentist and staff
wash their hands before
donning
a clean pair of gloves?
- Do all surfaces and equipment
in the treatment
room appear clean?
- Are needles and other sharp
items disposed of in
special puncture-resistant
containers?
- Is everything that is used
in the patient's mouth
either
heat sterilized or
disposable?
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Please note: The ADA does not provide specific answers
to individual questions about fees, dental problems, conditions, diagnoses,
treatments or proposed treatments, or requests for research. Information about
dental referrals, complaints and a variety of dental procedures may
be found here. You can also refer to our Frequently
Asked Questions page for answers to common questions.
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