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When you board an aircraft, on your way to your favourite holiday destination, there is a huge feeling of reassurance when the pilot instructs the cabin crew to place “doors to automatic and cross check”. You know, at least that you are not going to be sucked out into the atmosphere when you reach cruising altitude. You’re in good hands, right?
It is well known among dental professionals that the level of trust a patient feels in a dentist correlates to their level of pain relief and dental anxiety relief. Once they have experienced the gentle care and aftercare of a dentist, they have formed trust in their mind and, like the “doors to automatic and cross check” they can relax back and enjoy the rest of their dental journey.
But, like the average aircraft passenger, what is it that is really understood about the other checks made prior to “push back” or, in this instance, dental treatment and care?
Whilst a pilot conducts external checks of the plane with ground crew and internal flight deck checks with the copilot, what level of “pre-treatment” checks is the average dentist performing?
Dentists are required to undertake the following prior to commencing treatment: a patient notes and health assessment, medication review, allergy screening, radiographic evaluation, consent, emergency preparedness and equipment check. These are all part of the routine “pretreatment” checks. But what if the average patient has no idea of what pretreatment checks should be being conducted? Is clinical handover performed thoroughly on each occasion? Are comprehensive notes being made by all staff? And how many dentists are checking one of the most important steps? Infection Control.
I recently spoke to a full-time dental assistant who had been working on a weekend to fill in at another dental clinic to support her friend on annual leave. She was careful to speak with me without naming the dentist or clinic. This dental assistant is highly trained and experienced and was astounded at the lack of IC knowledge and practice demonstrated by the clinician she worked with. She spent a bit of time professionally suggesting alternate and correct techniques to him and he dismissed her efforts as “her opinions” and he “didn’t need to be told”.
Now imagine your pilot saying to cabin crew, “I don’t want to know if the door is set to automatic, I know what I am doing”.
The Dental Board of Australia states that: "Under the National Law, you must have access to and make sure your practice meets the infection control standards listed in the Dental Board’s Guidelines on infection control."
If you speak with dental ancillary staff you often learn a lot about the “pilot” and, you will hear many a hair-raising tale. In 2024 and beyond, I hope for major improvements in the area of health and safety of patients. Infection Control, like all other pretreatment checks, is the responsibility of the dentist and, if they are uncertain about it, they need to become informed.