Occupational risk prevention dental care In a dental office, the dentist and his assistant may be in contact with potentially infectious agents during treatment of a patient or disinfecting the patient room and cleaning instruments. They can also be exposed to dust, fumes, radiation or hazardous chemicals. Because of our proximity to the patient, the dentist assistant is exposed to risks of infection. They may be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms contained in the blood, saliva, pus or nasal secretions. Dental assistants are exposed in the same way when they work with the patient side and also when handling and cleaning equipment. Dentists and dental assistants are prone to allergies as well as skin irritation and respiratory tract …show more content…
are causing injury resulting from the mechanical action of these tools. Eye projections of high speed particles may be the source of the corneal injury. The use of ultrasonic baths for cleaning instruments, to cause adverse effects if the ultrasound is inaudible or almost inaudible are transmitted at sufficiently high and prolonged levels. Headaches, nausea, dizziness may occur particularly for people with hearing very fine, especially among young people. The hand can be subjected to strong vibration upon contact with the ultrasound source (horn or penetration of the hand in the bath), with skin irritation and vascular disorders. Meticulous work with awkward postures, repetitive, visual constraints gestures expose dental surgeons and their assistant (s) for musculoskeletal and angioneurotic disorders: precise work standing with an asymmetrical posture at work, can generate musculoskeletal disorders due to repetitive movements associated with a leaning position to provide near vision with outstretched arms. Hence the frequent appearance of thoracolumbar back pain and neck pain, tendinitis of the upper extremities (shoulders, elbows), the carpal tunnel syndrome, and venous insufficiency related to standing and …show more content…
The effects of radiation "in utero" are particularly deleterious (teratogenic effects). Other effects, which do not always manifest, which appear with a delay, with no obvious threshold (radiation-induced cancers including those of the thyroid, bone sarcomas, leukemias, and possibly ... malformations in offspring) are related to the accumulation of several doses over successive
Being in a health and social care setting means that there are many opportunities to be exposed to infection. For example MRA (Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) and hazardous
The patient was keen to get her oral hygiene up to a good standard and prevent any
While shadowing my fellow upper cohorts during the clinic I had made many observations. Unfortunately I was only able to shadow one clinic, although I observed a lot. Marie was the first student that I was shadowing, she was the CA for the day. We started by stocking the cabinets with the necessities. Marie and I then took the dental tools out of the machines that cleaned, sterilized, and dried them. I was shown that there are two sides in the lab. What I mean by this is that the left side is a dirty side which you should always wear gloves so that you are always protected from the bacteria and germs that the tools carry. Everything on this side has to be handled carefully and you must always wash and sanitize your hands when you are through. The right side is the clean side where the tools and dental accessories are kept so that they stay clean and sterile. Next I was with Jennifer, although she had no patients that day due to a
Work with staff to provide the patient with the highest standard of care by supporting any needs they might have. Setting up treatment room and ensure that all surfaces are clean to set out instruments and disposables that are needed for each patient. Pulling, reviewing and updating patient records after treatment. Fill in for the front desk if necessary by greeting patients and welcoming them in the office, scheduling next visit, re-scheduling visits as necessary, calling patients when rescheduling is necessary. I think one of the most important things to do in this job that is not mentioned so much is to remember personal details to initiate conversation with patients, as Dental Hygienist will always be seeing, and interacting with this patients. It also shows and demonstrates the patient that you are interested about their life. Remembering personal details can also be beneficial because when some patients come and sit at the dental chair their blood pressure may be high due to stress or anxiety and initiating a conversation with them, will help them relax and bring down their blood pressure. This career does not obligate you to travel, but most Dental Hygienist jobs only offer a part time, meaning they might have to travel around there area to put in more work hours, in various facilities such as dental offices, schools, nursing homes, etc. But there are facilities that hire Dental Hygienist full time, so it does not obligate them to travel. This job allows you to work inside and with staff but it is considered to be more of an independent job, because Dental Hygienist are expected to know more than an assistant because they perform more treating patients and diagnose heath issues. (Nguyen, 2018). It can be stressful but it seems to be rewarding. After interviewing Cecile Nguyen I learned a lot more about this career and understood that it is not easy but it is very rewarding as
Dental hygienists play an important role in the dental care facilities since they apply their knowledge on every case by removing tartar, stains, and plaque from teeth. They are in charge of applying sealants and fluorides to the teeth in order to protect them, they take and develop x-rays which helps them determine the patient 's vocal health and then present all this information through a report for the dentists to see. Once they have documented the patient 's care, they begin a treatment plan for each patient. They also educate their patients about the oral health and techniques they should apply and how to brush and floss the teeth accurately. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016-17, p.2) Dental hygienists apply critical thinking, compassion towards their patients, interpersonal skills, and dexterity while on their jobs and are supposed to be very detail oriented since they work on small parts of the body and need precise use of the tolls. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016-17, p.4).
There are two important things to do in a dental office in order to prevent cross infection. These two forms are sterilization and disinfection. According to the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration before either of these forms can be used you have to clean the instruments. This can be done either by hand or by using an ultrasonic cleaner.
It is important that we have this knowledge and constantly build on it because there still isn’t any valid ground. We can say “we think this can happen” but as more studies come out we can change that thought or idea into a valid explanation. Although you can’t convince every person into believing something, having proof behind your explanation is going to be more persuasive than just stating what you’ve heard.
Nature of the work for a dental hygienist is a wide range of challenges. Dental hygienist plays as the side kick of the dentist to better help their patient’s oral health conditions. The reason I mentioned theirs a wide variety of responsibilities is because different states have certain regulations on practices dental hygienist can actually do. Procedures like patient screening, head and neck inspection, and dental charting. Also, taking X-Rays, and removing plaque from all surfaces of the teeth. Dental hygienist also applies sealants and fluorides to the patient’s teeth and gums to help prevent diseases from forming. The information I conducted from my dental hygienist Linda. She noted that she teaches her patients proper instructions on flossing, and brushing teeth, and also nutrition counseling. Make an impression on their patient’s teeth for study casts which is models of teeth used by the dentist to evaluate patient treatment needs (Linda Smith). Finally, dental hygienist performs documentation and office activities. Academy of General Dentistry gave me the sources
The typical working areas for dental assistants are very clean, organized, and well lit. They must wear gloves, masks, eyewear, and protective clothing so that they are not exposed to any kind of infectious diseases. Assistants must also follow safety guidelines while operating x-ray machines and equipment. Dental assistants are very important to the dental team because they work so closely with the dentist so that they can provide quick and accurate service to the patient. Assistants will typically work 30-40 hours a week, and most offices are not open to the public on Fridays. A few dental assistants must work half-days on Fridays to organize storage areas and to check inventory on the materials used in the office. Some
Dental hygienists examine for signs of abnormalities oral diseases, for example decay or gingivitis, then they will provide treatment if necessary. They play an important role in evaluate patients’ oral health and interpret findings for the dentists. Also, Dental Hygienists educate patients how to keep their oral healthy. It is obvious that Dental Hygienists have to work by hands all the time; therefore, they are required to keep their hand totally clean and get them sterilized before and after each patients. They have to wear protection tools including safety glasses, masks, and gloves to prevent infection for themselves and patients (Bureau of Labor
Radiation exposure during pregnancy has been debated by health practitioners for a while now. According to the researches carried out it can be concluded that radiation exposure especially to pregnant females poses a threat to the fetus in the formation stage and also later in life. Although pregnant women are advised not to expose themselves to radiation, it may be difficult due to background radiation in the environment that comes from radioactive substances in water, food, air, construction materials and soil.
Young children and many adults are terrified of visiting the dentist. The first clinician they would see is the dental hygienist, making it extremely important for the dental hygienist to be kind, understanding, and easy to talk to. These characteristics will allow patients to be at ease and enjoy their dental visits. It is also important for dental hygienists to be good listeners so they could understand their patients` concerns. Physical skills are just as important as interpersonal skills in this career. It is important to have good finger dexterity and near vision. These physical skills will come to good use because the job of dental hygienists require them to use instruments in the small area of a patient's mouth. It is also crucial that a dental hygienist be in good physical shape. Dental hygienists spend most of their time crouched over a patient which could result in back pain if the hygienist is not healthy and
Both patients and dental health care personnel (DHCP) can be exposed to pathogens. Contact with blood, oral and respiratory secretions, and contaminated equipment occurs. Proper proce-dures can prevent transmission of infections among patients and DHCP.
While healthy babies are born every day, not everyone is so fortunate. In many cases, diagnostic radiology is required for patients during their childhood. Can having this radiation during the formative years lead to adverse effects later in life? The biggest concern from radiation is the risk of cancer. Cancer can occur at any dose from ionizing radiation because it is a stochastic effect, meaning that it is probabilistic. The probability of a stochastic effect, such as cancer, increases as the dose increases. While receiving this radiation may be necessary, it can cause some serious trouble later in life, such as breast cancer, leukemia, and thyroid cancer.
Dentistry is the profession in which the dentist helps with the prevention and treatment of mouth diseases and malfunctions. The dentist performs many duties within their profession. Some duties the dentist may do on a daily basis are: diagnose oral problems, fill cavities, write prescriptions, perform root canals, treat gum disease, examining radiographs, removing root decay, and providing instruction to the patients along with many other duties. Becoming a dentist allows for many different working opportunities. A dentist has the opportunity to work in the military, in a hospital, in administration, or they can even work in a classroom and teach. Most commonly though dentist tend to work in an office which they may own fully or