World TB Day is March 24. This annual event commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of M. tuberculosis, the bacteria that cause TB. World TB Day provides an opportunity to communicate TB-related problems and solutions and to support worldwide TB-control efforts.The CDC recommends that dental offices perform an annual risk assessment of the number of cases of active TB encountered in the office annually (low-risk setting: less than 3 patients with active TB are seen each year; medium-risk: more than or equal to 3 patients with active TB in the past year).
The CDC recommends that dental office personnel receive training and education on M. tuberculosis and TB disease that emphasizes the increased risks posed by an undiagnosed person with TB disease in a dental-care setting and the specific measures to reduce this risk. Training and education materials are available at http://www.findtbresources.org
References: CDC and ADA Web Sites
