Infection Control

Dental assistants not only need more education, but often need to pass that education on to other team members who simply don't get the right way to do things.

Dental assistants not only need more education, but often need to pass that education on to other team members who simply don't get the right way to do things.

Despite best infection control practices, surfaces in medical facilities such as dental practices and hospitals are inevitable breeding grounds for bacteria. Now, Sherwin-Williams has introduced a new paint that can kill infectious pathogens on painted surfaces.

The study was published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).

In 2013, investigators on a routine inspection of an oral surgery practice in Tulsa, Okla., discovered numerous violations of health and safety laws and major violations of the state dental act.

When it comes to making things work properly in your dental practice, isolation and retraction are the name of the game. Without these two things, it’s hard for your practice to operate smoothly in the clinical setting.

Practicon now offers No-Splash A-W Syringe Tips, which feature a transparent infection control shield built on that is said to reduce splash-back and contamination.

On the cusp of the organization’s 30th anniversary, OSAP’s thought leaders sat down again with Dental Products Report for a candid roundtable discussion on how far infection control has come in the dental industry … and how far it still has to go.  

As the organization enters its fourth decade, OSAP's thought leaders once again sat down with Dental Products Report for a candid roundtable discussion on how far infection control has come in the dental industry .. and how far it still has to go.

A new survey from Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Dental Medicine found parents in the general population bring their children to the dentist for the first time at the average age of 2.5, while parents who fall under the U.S. poverty threshold bring their children to the dentist for the first time at approximately 3.5 years old.

Crosstex International, Inc., a global manufacturer of infection control and prevention products for the healthcare market, unveiled the Secure Fit® Face-to-Face Challenge.

Rubber cup polishing has been an effective method for completing prophylaxis and controlling biofilm growth, and on-going research has expanded dentistry’s knowledge regarding the formation, growth, development, behavior and effects of biofilm. 

Stoma Dental has introduced the new, upgraded DOVE™ brand line of disposable high-volume ejector (HVE) and saliva ejector (SE) valves that promote infection control and dental patient safety. 

Henry Schein’s Acclean© Ultra Ultrasonic Scaler is a dual-frequency technology that accepts both 25K and 30K inserts.

Henry Schein MaxiWipe LA disinfecting towelettes are low-alcohol disinfectant towelettes that are said to clean and disinfect hard, nonporous surfaces and patient-care equipment.

Vista Dental Products recently introduced a new patent-pending EDTA-based formula called SmearOff™, which reportedly effectively removes smear layer and also kills bacteria.  

One of the most interesting parts of infection control is that as studies continue to enlighten, best practices continue to evolve. Balancing knowledge and actions means you have to stay up to date. One evolving infection control issue is hand hygiene. Dental professionals may consider using hand sanitizers because they appear to save time compared to hand washing and can be used frequently. But can hand sanitizers replace handwashing?

Henry Schein, Inc., the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners, recently announced that, together with supplier partners, it will donate more than $1 million in personal protective equipment (PPE) to help prevent the spread of Ebola.

It won’t be long until it’s Halloween, that annual celebration of all things creepy, crawly, and downright spooky. While many scary things have happened and will happen on October 31, it’s a sad statement that scary things happen in dental practices throughout the country every day. As a dental team member, we know you’ve witnessed plenty of things that would make our skin crawl … so we want to hear your best horror story.

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) announced that they will host the 2015 Boot Camp: Infection Control Basic Training in Atlanta, Ga. from Jan. 12-14, 2015. The conference will feature courses covering all of the core infection prevention fundamentals for dental practitioners and will offer a total of 24 continuing education (CE) hours1.  

Consider these tips for making sure you don't spread let infection spread around your team or, most importantly, to the restorations you're producing for clients and patients.

A recent change to the Master Label of PDI’s Super Sani-Cloth Germicidal Disposable Wipes includes EPA acceptance on kill claims for three additional microorganisms.

For Dr. Sheri Doniger of Lincolnwood, Ill., keeping her patients happy is a key part of her dental practice’s success. However, even more important to her is the constant battle to ensure her patients’ safety and health.

As a profession, we are charged with a very important mission - we need to provide the best possible care to our patients while doing it in an environment that ensures their safety.

It was reported this week, following an investigation into an Oklahoma dentist accused of potentially exposing patients to disease, that there was one confirmed case of patient-to-patient hepatitis C transmission.

Kerr TotalCare has introduced the next generation in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with its new Googles®.

“As of today, Kerr TotalCare will be a hygiene-focused brand, positioned to deliver products designed to address the full workflow of Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants.”

Researchers at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and the Forsyth Institute published a study this week that found that a significant proportion of dental bib clips harbored bacteria from the patient, dental clinician and the environment even after the clips had undergone standard disinfection procedures in a hygiene clinic.