Patient Health
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May 17, 2023
In the dental industry, ensuring the safety of dental professionals and patients is of paramount importance. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) plays a vital role in safeguarding against potential hazards, including infectious diseases, chemical exposure, and physical injuries. Donning and doffing protocols are crucial procedures that dental professionals must adhere to in order to properly wear and remove PPE. This article will explore the various types of PPE used in the dental industry and the correct practices for donning and doffing.
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April 13, 2023
As dental professionals, it is not new news that enamel falls prey to constant demineralization. In the Enamel 101 of dentistry, we learned the fact that hydroxyapatite can be attacked by acids and break down if there is not a remineralization balance. The ideal balance is to stop acid attacks period.
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April 12, 2023
Does every office need a DUWL program?
This can be answered by the equipment the office has. There are two types of water delivery systems in a dental office: direct municipal and closed bottle systems.
The direct municipal has no bottle and is only required to purge the DUWL on opening, closing, and between clients.
However, a closed water system as per the MIFU of the manufacturer of the dental chair or bracket table with the attached bottle, states a program is required to include cleaning, disinfecting, and testing.
At this point, a retrofit from municipal to closed is not mandated. It is important to note that offices do not get confused with the word municipal … if the office uses tap water in their closed bottle system that is not considered m
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April 11, 2023
July 1976 at the American Legion Convention at the Bellevue Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia, Legionnaires was named and identified as the cause of an outbreak of severe pneumonia with 200 cases and 29 deaths (3) (5). The outbreak was linked to the inhalation of aerosolized contaminated water (3)(5). A milder infection caused by the same type of Legionella bacteria is called Pontiac fever. Rewinding in time, in 1968 in Pontiac Michigan, Pontiac Fever was named and identified as an outbreak of influenza-like illness, identified by people who worked at & visited the city’s health department and had inhaled aerosols from contaminated water (3). Legionnaires' disease is an acute bacterial disease, causing death in 5% to 30% of cases (4). The Government of Canada’s Legionella site, states the following:
“Cases of Legionnaire’s disease may be difficult to detect because very few of the people exposed to the bacteria get infecte
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April 07, 2023
Risk Management in a Dental Office
In many provinces, the pivotal moment for IPAC was before the pandemic, in 2017, when public health units and regulatory bodies took a closer look at the practice of IPAC in dentistry to ensure compliance with ‘routine practice’. Before the pandemic, many offices had already swept through their IPAC policies and made enhancements to strengthen their IPAC procedures, decreasing the risk level and satisfying the elements of routine practice. Although in 2017 reading the fine print and deciphering through the grey areas of written standards seemed like a pain in the neck, I look back and say thank you, 2017, for shaking our IPAC world ahead of time.
In this shake-up, dental professionals became more knowledgeable in the theory of IPAC and started initiating structure to IPAC. Again, not that we did not follow IPAC prior, but we did
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March 05, 2023
Suppose you ask dental-phobic patients for the main reasons that the thought of dental visit elicits such fear and loathing.
In that case, most will probably respond with feelings related to the potential for anxiety or pain.
This anxiety can stem from genuine unpleasant past dental experiences or unknown potential for pain.
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March 01, 2023There are two main elements to the reprocessing of a dental bur. First, what does the manufacturer of the bur state to do with the bur? Is it single use or can it be reprocessed? Second, if it can be reprocessed what are the steps from end-to-end use that meet IPAC standards of practice.
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February 15, 2023
The process of disinfecting is a two-step procedure. First, the surface must be cleaned to ensure all blood, debris, and waste is removed. Second, the surface is disinfected by applying a disinfectant and letting the chemicals activate for the noted contact time to kill all bacteria, viruses and possible fungi present.
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February 14, 2023
Gloves are the most important part of any medical facility.
Why do dentists choose nitrile gloves? — Disposable nitrile gloves are part of the dental staff’s personal protection equipment (PPE) used when completing exams and procedures. They provide a barrier of protection to the skin, resistance from tears, and durability. Nitrile gloves are produced from hypoallergenic synthetic materials, making them a safe alternative for those with latex allergies.
Latex Gloves vs. Nitrile Gloves
In the past, disposable latex gloves were the standard gloves used in hospitals and dental offices in Canada. That changed several years ago as latex allergies became more common, and nitrile gloves became the alternative.
Latex gloves are
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January 30, 2023
Cleaning and maintaining Dental Unit Waterlines is essential for patients and dental professionals' health and safety.
Not only does it keep patients safe from harmful bacteria, but it also helps to protect equipment longevity.
Dental Unit Waterlines are a common source of microbial contamination and need to be cleaned regularly in order to prevent build up of a microbial biofilm colony inside the narrow tubing of the DUWL.
Reasons for Cleaning
Dental Unit Waterlines are essential to keeping a dental practice running smoothly. It is important to keep these waterlines clean and free from contaminants to ensure the safe delivery of water during dental services.