Who could have predicted that 2020 would turn out like this? At the beginning of the year, none of us expected that the global spread of a dangerous disease would upend how we live, how we relate to each other, and how we work.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a sobering reminder that as dental healthcare professionals, we all play an important role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. While infection prevention has long been a cornerstone of clinical theory and practice, the ongoing pandemic has undoubtedly raised the profile on infection prevention policies among clinicians and patients alike.
Whether you’re a healthcare professional or a patient, at this stage, pretty much everyone knows what an N95 respirator is, but many may not realize there are still common myths and misconceptions about using this PPE. If you or your staff are using N95 respirators, it is highly important to ensure that there is a proper respiratory protection program in place.
As we learn more about how COVID-19 is transmitted, dental practice guidelines are evolving. The U.S.
Nancy Miller, RDH, recalls not wearing masks or gloves in the days before HIV emerged as a deadly pathogen. Just as HIV brought attention to bloodborne pathogens, COVID-19 has aimed a spotlight on airborne pathogens in the dental office. Dental aerosols are primarily created by high-speed handpieces and ultrasonic scalers, air/water syringe tips, and air abrasion devices.
We asked Dr. Roger Levin of the Levin Group, dentistry's leading practice management and marketing consulting firm, to join our blog as a guest author for a two-part question-and-answer series exploring the realities of practice management in the COVID-19 world. Check out Part Two below for Roger’s advice for navigating changes to the dental team and proactively communicating with patients.
As dental offices continue to adapt to heightened infection prevention concerns, there is still a lot of uncertainty about what works and what doesn’t. These doubts make it difficult to know whether the steps you are taking are worth it. But what if we told you that there is an existing solution in the market – one with 95-percent satisfaction among surveyed users* – that can help you provide a safe, efficient, and more compliant practice environment for both patients and staff?
As dental professionals continue to adapt to the challenges of COVID-19, every aspect of the practice is rightly being reevaluated through the lens of infection prevention, including nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation. Though this technology has been used for decades to manage patient anxiety and improve the overall dental treatment experience for patients, some practices are currently choosing to forego it out of an abundance of caution for infection prevention.
By Rita Zamora
As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to have an outsized impact on dentistry, HuFriedyGroup has been at the forefront of providing infection prevention solutions to help dental professionals and clinicians get back to work safely.
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