Infection Control in the Faculty of Dentistry,
Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Hideaki Suda
Many patients with known or unknown infectious pathogens visit the dental clinic. It has been reported that the screening rate of dental patients with a known blood-borne pathogen is very low, and screening itself is impossible for patients having an unknown infectious pathogen. Therefore, all dental treatments must be carried out in the light of universal precautions.
The total number of the outpatients who visit our Dental Hospital is well over 1,400 everyday. In addition, 60 inpatients at the maximum are hospitalized in the Ward. Therefore, selective application of sterilization, disinfection and cleaning is essential for putting the idea of universal precautions into practice. Also, infection control protocol is necessary to be effective and efficient with respect not only to cost required but also to time consumed.
We have set a series of guidelines for HIV, MRSA, HBV and HCV. These guidelines are always reviewed and new ones are published triennially and given to all faculty members. The senior students are informed of the up-to-date guidelines before they see patients at the Student Clinic. These guidelines will be integrated into a more comprehensive form of booklet in the very near future.
Our vaccination program for HBV, education on infection control to the
students, and the operatory designated for patients with known risk will
also be discussed in this presentation.