North Texas Dentistry Volume 9 Issue 5 2019 ISSUE 5 DE | Page 36

Are You Making Patients Share Too Much? compliance by Lee Slaton Two questions from our compliance inspection checklist often draw blank stares from clinical staff. 1 2 Do you flush your air/water syringes for at least 20 seconds between patients? Do you ask patients to close their lips around the saliva ejector? Don’t advise patients to close their lips around the saliva ejector tip. “When patients close their lips and form a seal around the tip of the ejec- tor, a partial vacuum is created. Research suggests that in these situa- tions, previously suctioned fluids might be retracted into the patient’s mouth. Most clinicians we ask (the first time) don’t know what the Cen- ter for Disease Control and Prevention’s related recommenda- tions are or the answers to those questions. Here they are: Furthermore, studies have shown that gravity pulls fluid back toward the patient’s mouth whenever a length of the suction tubing holding the tip is positioned above the patient’s mouth or when a saliva ejector is used at the same time as other evacuation (high volume) equipment. Flush dental devices for at least 20 seconds between patients. Although no adverse health effects associated with the saliva ejector have been reported, dental health care personnel should be aware that back- flow could occur when they use a saliva ejector. “Dental devices that are connected to the dental water system and that enter the patient’s mouth (e.g., handpieces, ultrasonic scalers, or air/water syringes) should be operated to discharge water and air for a minimum of 20-30 seconds after each patient. This procedure is intended to physically flush out patient material that might have entered the turbine, air, or waterlines.” 1 We’ll help you keep your oxygen costs from getting out of hand! n n Individualized service stops waste Simple, straightforward pricing [In a nutshell] practitioners should not advise patients to close their lips tightly around the tip of the saliva ejector to evacuate oral fluids.” 2 A hygienist (a long-time professional) once chastised me for not closing my lips around the saliva ejector while my teeth were being cleaned. It was clear we both read CDC’s related recom- mendation, but she felt she knew more about infection control than the CDC. That was the last time I sat in her chair. More related advice from the CDC “Suction lines should be disinfected daily. Dentists should contact the manufacturer of the dental unit to review proper use and maintenance procedures including appropriate disinfection methods.” 2 CDC recommendations are made by professionals and are science and evidence-based. Ignore them at your own — and your patients’ — peril. 1 2 https://www.osap.org/page/FAQIE20134?page=AboutOSAPContact https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/faqs/saliva.html This article was originally published by TDA Perks Program in August 2019. PUT TECH AIR ON YOUR TEAM TODAY! FAST & EASY NO FEE TO SWITCH NO 1st TIME SET-UP COSTS NO CONTRACT [phone] email: [email protected] www.techair.com 36 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com Lee Slaton is Vice-President of Healthcare with Smart Training, the TDA’s OSHA and HIPAA Compliance partner. Smart Training, a Texas- based company, has been providing OSHA, HIPAA, and Training solutions for over 25 years. They offer the industry’s only written guarantee against OSHA fines, which includes OSHA rep- resentation. Slaton’s team of Compliance Advi- sors has inspected hundreds of Texas dental practices, with the mission of helping practices correct deficiencies be- fore they turn into fines totaling thousands of dollars. Send email to: [email protected].