The Australian Dental Association [ADA] has released the third edition of its guidelines for infection control along with relevant resources.
“The release of these important publications is timely, following reports of infection control breaches in New South Wales and dental services being delivered by non-registered persons in Victoria,” said Dr Rick Olive, the president of ADA. “As registered practitioners, it is our obligation to abide by the standards set out by the regular [Dental Board of Australia].” It is is a requirement of registration with the Dental Board that all dental practitioners have access to and are compliant with the ADA’s guidelines.
As the paper outlines, infection control in dental practice is to prevent the transmission of disease-producing agents such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. Microorganisms can be inhaled, implanted, ingested, injected or splashed onto the skin or mucosa through director or indirect contact, or spread by airborne transmission.
The ADA has additionally prepared a practical guide, along with a self-assessment tool, helping members to identify issues around infection control within their practice. Both tools can be accessed on the ADA website’s member portal.
