There is no doubt that everyone in the dental community has heard the story of the dentist in Tulsa, Oklahoma who may have infected 7000 patients due to improper sterilization of instruments and having unlicensed workers performing duties that were out of their scope of practice.
The coming week many dentists may face yet another challenge when responding to the fears and concerns of dental patients over the issue of infection control. To be proactive, it may be a good idea to post a sign in your reception area that reassures your patients that you have an infection control program in place that protects your patients. This lets your patients know that you take their health seriously and your program follows the most current infection control procedures. It would also be wise to put on new gloves in front of the patient.
Why Is an Infection Control Program Important?
Everyone knows that infection control is the responsibility of all dental office staff. Patients and employees are only safe from infectious processes when everyone follows good infection control techniques. The purpose of the Infection Control Program is not to reduce the individual responsibility that each healthcare provider has, but to provide leadership for all employees throughout the office. Through policies, procedures, and evaluation processes, the Health and Safety Committee or the Health and Safety Representative acts as a central contact point for all infection control information and channels that information in a manner that will create the safest environment.
It is recommended to establish an infection control committee or appoint an infection control representative. This person could be your Health and Safety representative or you may wish to establish a separate committee, depending on the size of the office. For the purpose of this article, reference will be made to an infection control committee and its function and purpose.
The purpose of the infection control committee is simple: to prevent and control infection. Achieving that goal requires the skills and input of those who serve on the committee and the cooperation of all employees. The infection control committee is designed to provide clear direction to help everyone create and maintain a safe environment.
The infection control committee would be responsible to maintain written infection control procedures, which should be available to all employees. The committee would also provide guidance for the prevention of incidents through other established informational channels within the dental office. When problems arise, the committee should provide specific direction that details corrective actions that are deemed necessary.
Planning: Successful prevention and control of infection requires careful planning. The infection control committee should be actively involved with the planning and implementation of new procedures that pose a potential infection control risk. For example, provide guidance for the implementation of a new procedure, including arranging training perhaps in a ‘lunch and learn’ format. Its role in the planning process is to identify potential areas of concern, and recommend a course of action that provides the best method of infection control.
The committee also may provide input into the selection of chemicals used to manage the environment, such as detergents and disinfectants. It may also provide input into the selection of equipment used to process instruments and accessories.
Monitoring: The Infection Control Committee should continue to monitor infectious processes within the dental office. They track incidents that have the potential to cause infections. They review infection control procedures within the office in an effort to minimize risk, identify problem areas, and implement corrective actions.
Evaluating: Along with monitoring specific incidents, the infection control committee needs to look at the bigger picture as it continually strives to improve processes within the office. This is demonstrated by the regular review of infection control procedures for all staff. The committee may also be called upon to evaluate practices and provide input regarding products and protocols.
Updating: Perhaps one of the biggest challenges that all infection control committees face is keeping current. This requires that all members of the team strive to keep abreast of changes within their area of expertise. By keeping current, they can assist the committee as it works to manage the office’s infection control policy.
Educating: Finally, as an integral part of its leadership, the committee must take an active role in staff education. That role may be a hands-on approach or it may be an advisory role in partnership with the dentist. The education process should address at least two specific areas. The first area should be that of general infection control education and orientation of new staff. This is usually accomplished through an annual education program designed for all employees. This program is designed to provide the groundwork for general infection control protocols, which create a safe environment for both patients and employees. I
The second educational need that the committee addresses is the need for updating. In the constantly changing healthcare arena, the committee must find a way to communicate changes and updates to the entire staff. Whatever the method, the goal must be to create a smooth flow of information to all employees. Both of these educational roles should focus on creating awareness of infection control and developing the appropriate skills necessary to function effectively and safely on the job.
