Dear Hygiene Insider,
In this Hygiene Insider Exclusive, Dr. Marie Fluent writes that while dental teams review infection-control protocol and strive for compliance within their practices, one component of infection control often remains overlooked: single-use disposable items. The prudent use of these items eliminates many sources of cross contamination, while making infection-control applications of clinical personnel more efficient and safe.
Also featured in the Hygiene Community, Kansas' Extended Care Permits (ECP), which allow hygienists to provide preventive dental care beyond the dental office, have improved oral healthcare in the state but aren't being utilized to their full potential, ECP providers reported in a new study. Read Contributing Editor Rabia Mughal's article here.
A new report from the University of North Dakota found that the state is fighting the same distribution-of-care issues as many other states, despite having one of the highest Medicaid dental reimbursement rates in the U.S.
In clinical news, the results of a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences may shed light on the role of "microbial dark matter" in the progression of periodontitis and other diseases.
Finally, the Oregon dental board's resolution allowing dental auxiliaries to apply silver diamine fluoride (SDF), which followed the recent classification of SDF as a fluoride by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, could mean new treatment options, especially for Medicaid beneficiaries. Read more here.
