The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published recommended best practices to prevent infections during oral surgical procedures. The CDC defines surgical procedures as those that involve the incision, excision, or reflection of skin or oral mucosa…
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) establishes recommendations for all dental healthcare personnel to follow to ensure proper infection prevention and control in dental settings. On its Oral Health website, the CDC has published valuable best practice…
U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) is observed each year from November 18th-24th. This year’s USAAW theme is "Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance Takes All of Us.” According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antimicrobial resistance happens when germs,…
A research study published in the June 2024 edition of the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) investigated current trends in dentistry for maintaining water quality in dental unit waterlines (DUWLs). While the majority (85%) of respondents recognized the…
Infection control is necessary for protection of dental healthcare personnel and patients. Keep hands clean. Cleaning your hands regularly with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water is a simple yet effective tool to stop the spread of germs…
With October marking the beginning of influenza (flu) and cold season and with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) continuing to circulate across the United States, control of aerosol transmissible diseases (ATDs) as well as standard precautions for infection control are essential in healthcare…
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that a study released on June 22, 2023found that overall e-cigarette monthly unit sales increased by 46.6%—from 15.5 million units in January of 2020, to 22.7 million units in December…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared May 5th, 2023, to be World Hand Hygiene Day. As part of a major global effort to improve hand hygiene in healthcare, WHO launched the SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands annual global campaign in 2009…
Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern, and combatting it requires a multi-faceted approach. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dentists prescribe around 10% of overall outpatient antibiotic prescriptions nationally. Up to 85% of…
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends and the Dental Board of California (DBC) requires standard precautions to be used for the care of all patients regardless of their diagnoses or personal infectious status. Standard precautions in…
