Dental Assistants play a very important role in every dental office, but safety must always be the highest priority.  Virginia requires radiation safety certification, but not infection control certification. Why? The lack of knowledge and understanding of how pathogens and infectious diseases are spread and how dangerous viruses can be, creates the opportunity for dental offices to be a breeding ground for HAI’s (Healthcare Associated Infections).

I have been an assistant since 1994, graduating from an accredited Dental Assisting program in Washington State.  Washington State requires dental education in order to work in a dental office.  I feel my education prepared me for my own personal safety and understanding of how many ways diseases can be spread.  Based on my research, I know of at least 11 other states that have an infection control education requirement, with Maryland being one of them. 

 I have witnessed oral surgery instruments and hygiene instruments that are stored and autoclaved in a metal cassette being sterilized on the “pouches” setting.  That’s 30 minutes less than the required sterilization time of proper sterilization of 35 minutes.  All because they were unknowledgeable.  

jEvery patient in every dental office is entrusting every DHCP (dental healthcare personnel) with their health and we as clinicians need to abide to that.  And given the world we live in today, Virginia should be on the leading edge of patient and clinician safety.