Infection Control Policy

The possibility for passing infection in the dental office has always existed. This can happen three ways:

1) From patient to dentist

2) From dentist to patient

3) From patient to patient (via contaminated instruments)

We take the following significant steps to prevent all three possibilities:

1) We wear gloves, safety glasses, and face masks.

2) 'We use new gloves on every patient and then discard them (we never wash and reuse gloves):

3) We use new needles on every patient requiring anesthetic (we never attempt to sterilize and reuse needles)

4) We heat sterilize all our major instruments (including drills and polishing hand pieces) after each patient use. Heat sterilizing kills everything. This is much more effective then simply "wiping with disinfectant.

5) Many other reusable items are used only once and then discarded to minimize the risk of infection (such as suction straws and rubber polishing cups).­

6) Your doctor does not engage in any of the activities which place people at high risk of contracting AIDS.

Don't let all of our infection control equipment scare you! We take these steps for your peace of mind, not because we perceive dental visits as. carrying a high risk of infection. Studies repeatedly show that saliva will not pass the AIDS infection and that even saliva mixed with blood is extremely unlikely to. There has not been even one instance documented where a patient has become infected with AIDS due to contaminated dental instruments. The case of the AIDS infected Florida dentist who passed his infection on to five patients is unique and still under investigation. No one has ever been able to adequately explain how the infection was passed Many other practicing dentists, surgeons, gynecologists and obstetricians were found who were also AIDS infected and not a single one of their patients has become infected In light of this, the unpleasant possibility has even been raised that the Florida dentist may have intentionally infected his patients. The fact remains that you are more likely to get hit by lighting than you are to get AIDS from you dental visit

We go the extra mile to make your visit as completely safe, comfortable and non threatening as possible. So please- to relax and enjoy your visit.