Dental Insurance Articles
Signs A Dental Office May Not Be Following Proper Hygiene Procedures
2010-10-15
Every patient has the right to receive safe dental care. With state regulations verifying the cleanliness of every dental office, most patients have come to expect the best from every dental provider. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Despite regulations regarding proper hygiene procedures, violations do occur and some of these violations may go unnoticed by officials and the staff in a busy dental office. If you are shopping for a dental insurance quote, there can be dozens of approved providers in your area, so it is important to know what safety and hygiene procedures to expect.
When you walk into a dental office, the reception area and exam rooms should be clean, tidy and well lit. Dental offices should look and smell clean due to the use of sanitizers and industrial cleansing agents between every appointment. Each station should be thoroughly cleansed to remove contaminants and bacteria released into the air during the dental cleaning process. Sanitizing the chair, light and all surfaces between each patient is extremely important to prevent cross-contamination and the transmission of bacteria and viruses.
In the dentist's office, there is a high risk for transmitting infectious diseases and pathogens. While performing dental work, bacteria and blood are released into the air where they contaminate surfaces and have the potential to enter the eyes, airways and mucus membranes. In addition to pathogens, there is a danger of debris or foreign objects entering the eye or damaging the surface of the cornea. All dental hygienists and dentists should be equipped with wrap-around safety goggles as well as a respiratory mask to prevent micro-contaminants from entering the airways. Dental providers should always put on latex gloves after respiratory masks and safety glasses. Protective plastic sheaths should cover light handles and other surfaces used during the exam. All work surfaces, including drawer handles, x-ray jackets, and the dental chair, should be sanitized thoroughly between patients.
The sterilization of dental tools is one of the key-points monitored by health officials. To retain certification, dentists must have a complete sterilization record proving the effectiveness of equipment on a weekly basis. This record should be available to all patients upon request. Whether the tools used for your appointment are disposable or reusable, each item should be individually bagged and certified.
Although dental offices are required to comply with state hygiene regulations, violations inevitably occur. If you are shopping for dental insurance quotes or have visited a suspect dental office in the past, it is important to know that it is your right to receive safe dental care from all providers. Unfortunately, in some cases, it is the patient who must notify state health officials of violations in hygienic standards.