Practices lack bloodborne pathogen exposure control plans

The standard covers all dental health care settings in which dental health care workers could be exposed to blood or certain bodily fluids during the performance of their job. It also describes precautionary practices to protect health care workers from pathogens such as the hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and HIV. These pathogens can be transmitted from patient to dental health care provider or patient to patient via contact with blood or certain bodily fluids.

Overall, 1,059 respondents representing private dental practices across the U.S. completed the online survey. According to the results, 28 percent did not have a written site-specific ECP, including 4 percent who did not know whether they had one. Furthermore, 50 percent without an ECP had no plans to implement one in the next 12 months, and 20 percent with a plan had not implemented all of the elements. Regarding the latter, the primary reasons given were “not aware it was needed,” “lack of expertise” and “lack of time.”

“Having an effective exposure control plan that everyone in the dental office is aware of will better protect dental healthcare personnel and their patients from exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Identifying any barriers to the implementation of an exposure control plan is a critically important step to making the exposure control plan as effective as it can be,” stated NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard. “The findings support the need for increased continuing education and training on methods to prevent occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens in dental settings.”

This study, titled “Use of bloodborne pathogens exposure control plans in private dental practices: Results and clinical implications of a national survey,” was published in the June issue of the Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry.

Tags: