Answers to Dental Infection Control Questions Can Be Found at OSAP Web Site

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Do you have a question about dental infection control and safety? You're not alone! The Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures (OSAP) has been fielding questions from dental workers for years. Those questions, along with OSAP's well-researched and -reviewed answers derived from public health policy, published literature, and science-based expert opinions, have been compiled in a searchable database available through www.osap.org.

As part of OSAP's efforts to continually deliver relevant, practical information to frontline dental workers, the new web page provides 24-hour access to frequently asked questions ("FAQs") on disease risks, instrument processing, personal protective equipment, compliance requirements, and other areas of concern and confusion. Posted at www.osap.org/resources/FAQ/index.php, questions are categorized under broad headings such as Diseases and Disease Agents, Equipment, Latex Allergies, Office Design and Management, Safety, Personal Protective Equipment, and Regulatory Processes. Subcategories include disinfection, sterilization, handpieces, instrument processing, sharps safety, dental unit waterlines, waste management, state requirements, and x-ray safety.

If you're looking for general information on personal protective equipment, simply click on the category name and scan OSAP's list of questions. If you want information specific to protective eyewear, simply type "eyewear" into the "Search" field and click to get a list of questions with links to OSAP's answers.

"The Internet provides the perfect medium for delivering reliable information to dental workers around the world," said OSAP Executive Director Therese Long, CAE. "It allows us to give dentists and auxiliaries the information they want, when they want it."

The web-based database will be constantly updated to provide dental workers with answers to their most pressing questions. If you have a question about dental infection control and safety, "Ask OSAP" via their website (www.osap.org/aosap/contact.php) or by email (office@osap.org). In addition to a personal email response, you may see your question appear in the OSAP FAQ database. (Questions and answers in the OSAP database do not include names, email addresses, or other specifics to identify the person or practice submitting the question.)

OSAP is a nonprofit organization composed of clinicians, educators, researchers, policymakers, and industry representatives. As dentistry's primary infection control and safety resource, OSAP works toward its vision of safe dental care for people everywhere by providing information and education through resources such as the OSAP annual symposium (slated for June 16-19, 2003 in Tucson, Ariz.), continuing education courses, newsletters, training programs, videotapes and Web site. For more information about OSAP membership and subscriptions, contact OSAP at (800) 298-6727.

OSAP is a non-profit organization of dentists, auxiliary staff, allied health professionals, government representatives, industry members, academicians and researchers devoted to advancing dental infection control and practice safety. A clearinghouse of information on dental asepsis and occupational health issues, the multidisciplinary group works to encourage research, dialogue, collaboration, and education on patient and practitioner health and safety issues through its publications, educational programs and Web site (www.osap.org).