It is with great concern that tonight I read of a dental office in Oklahoma that might have not been sterilyzing instruments properly creating possible disease transmission.
While I am usually very skeptical concerning anything reported by the media, it appears some serious violations of normal operating practices were violated in Oklahoma.
We realize patients have enough anxiety about visiting us without needing to worry about the prospect of cross contamination and the spread of disease. Let me assure all of our patients that all infectious disease protocols are followed to the letter at our offices. Anything that comes in contact with a patients mouth is either sterilyzed or thrown away. The dental chair and surrounding areas are thoroughly sprayed and wiped with a disinfectant spray.
In our sterilyzation area, there are compartments that are clearly segregated to keep any pre autoclaved instruments from coming in contact with those already sterile. Our dental assistants and staff routinely take continuing education on infection control to provide our patients with a safe dental office.
All of us here take infection control very seriously. I have spent many thousands of dollars to create a state of the art infection control area. If you have any concerns, please ask one of us about our infection control protocols. We will happily talk with you or show you the procedures we take to keep our patients safe.

I think that there are times when patients are not sure what we are trying to do. I will try to clarify what we as the dental team are trying to accomplish.
When we examine a patient, either for the first time,at recare visits or during an emergency visit, there are several things that should be considered. First, an easy one, pain. One of our priorities is to determine the causes of pain that a patient reports. Frequently we will question the patient to help identify the source. Is pain constant? Temperature related? What is the duration? How long have you noticed the discomfort. These questions along with other diagnostic aids such as visual examination and dental xrays will aid us in determining ways to eliminate pain.
A second area we must address is the elimination of disease. There are several types that we see frequently. Caries, or more commonly dental decay. Periodontal disease, or gum disease is also common. Occlusal disease is the loss of tooth structure through excessive wear, chemical(ie acid) attack or trauma. And certainly we must be on the lookout for any soft tissue changes that could be cancerous.
And finally, we must check the health of the jaw joint or TMJ’s.
So with this information, what are the goals of treatment. For me, there are three. 1. Eliminate disease. 2. Restore form and function. 3.Create stability. In upcoming posts, I will break down these three goals and relate them to what we see during our examinations.