Show Your Infection Control Practices to Your Patients

The general public is becoming increasingly aware of infection control and other safety practices in healthcare. Newspapers, television and radio news carry daily stories on emerging pathogens, antibiotic resistant bacteria, foodborne poisoning, avian influenza, medical errors, etc. Your patients expect that your office is following "state-of-the-art" safety practices and are watching that you implement them consistently.

For example, we have heard about dental offices where a patient calls OSHA with a complaint that they observed their dentist not changing gloves and/or washing their hands before starting their procedure. When we investigate these complaints, we usually find that the dentist changed gloves and washed their hands in another operatory or sink area (i.e. not viewed by the patient). We recommend that you try to change gloves and wash your hands in front of your patient. By demonstrating good infection control practice, your patients will acknowledge that you consider their safety as number one!