In light of last weeks announcement of the first documented patient-to-patient transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a dental practice, the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) is offering some members-only resources to the broader dental community to help support compliance efforts for safe infection prevention practices.
The HCV case stems from the public health investigation of a Tulsa, Oklahoma oral surgical clinic in which current and former patients of the practice may have been exposed to bloodborne viruses. The Oklahoma State Department of Health and Tulsa Health Department released an interim status report on Sept. 18 on the results of their public health investigation.
This is the first documented report of patient-to-patient transmission of hepatitis C virus associated with a dental setting in the United States, says Dr. Kristy Bradley, Oklahoma state epidemiologist. Bradley spoke at OSAPs 2013 Infection Prevention Symposium in June. While dental procedures are generally safe, this reinforces the importance of adhering to strict infection control procedures in dental settings.
With the amount of media coverage this case is receiving, OSAP believes the time is right for the dental team to have a conversation about infection control and bloodborne pathogens, especially hepatitis C. OSAP has developed a free downloadable hepatitis C toolkit featuring relevant regulations and guidelines, best practices, instructional resources and patient resources available to its members. It can now be accessed by every dental professional at www.osap.org/?page=Issues_HepC.
Also available are videos in English and Spanish, fact sheets, online training and many other resources.
A summary of Bradleys June lecture describing the investigative process in this case that includes key takeaways, implementation steps and hyperlinked resources can be found on pages 2-3 of the 2013 OSAP Symposium Proceedings, is available at: https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/osap.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/Symposium_2013/OSAP.2013Symp.Proceedings.pdf.
The Oklahoma State Department of Healths announcement can be found at:
http://www.ok.gov/health/Organization/Office_of_Communications/News_Releases/2013_News_Releases/Public_Health_Investigation_of_Tulsa_Dental_Practice.html
Additional resources are available through OSAPs website, www.OSAP.org, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at www.CDC.gov and the American Dental Association at www.ADA.org.
Â
Product Locator: Spring and Early Mother's Day Gift Guide for Infection Prevention Personnel
March 27th 2024Whether it's a spring holiday, birthdays, or no reason at all, infection prevention personnel love to give and receive gifts that help at the end of a stressful day. Infection Control Today® offers some gift ideas for infection prevention personnel and their families.
Catching Up With Vangie Dennis, AORN 2022-2023 President at AORN 2024
March 26th 2024Infection Control Today (ICT) had the privilege of catching up with Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses' (AORN’s) International Surgical Conference & Expo 2024. As the former president of AORN and an esteemed figure in perioperative services, Vangie Dennis shared insights into her recent endeavors and the exciting new chapter she's embarked upon.
How To Optimize Your Time Management Strategies for the Busy Infection Preventionist
March 25th 2024Is your calendar resembling a chaotic masterpiece of overlapping tasks? Join the club of infection preventionists striving to balance responsibilities. Dive into proven strategies from a fellow infection preventionist to reclaim control of your time, streamline tasks, and boost productivity effectively. This is an IP Lifeline article.
CenTrak Unveils Revolutionary BLE Multi-Mode Platform for Health Care RTLS Solutions
March 22nd 2024CenTrak, the industry leader in real-time location technology, introduces the groundbreaking BLE Multi-Mode Platform, setting a new standard for Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) in health care. Discover how this innovative solution enhances location data precision and streamlines operations for health care organizations.