Kansas Dental Assistants – Ensuring a Sterile Environment

Kansas dental assistants must ensure patients are being treated in a sterile environment.  Even the smallest mistakes, such as forgetting to throw something away after a patient has been seen, can result in the spread of infections to subsequent patients.  When this occurs, both dental assistants and the dentists supervising them may be at risk for either disciplinary action or the loss of their professional licenses or certificates.  If you are a Kansas dental assistant, you should take all necessary steps to ensure there is very little or no chance of spreading bacteria and other germs to patients that may result in serious illness.

Common Mistakes That Create an Unsterile Environment

When dental offices get busy, it is inevitable that mistakes will be made.  Most mistakes are not uncommon and curable, meaning that they do not cause any harm to patients or the dental staff.  However, some common mistakes are capable of causing patients to suffer injury or illness.  Such mistakes include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Failing to put biomedical waste in the designated biohazard container;
  • Failing to put dental instruments into sterilizing machine after they are used on a patient;
  • Failing to clean the examination room with sterilizing cleaner after treating a patient;
  • Failing to use new, sterilized dental equipment;
  • Failing to change gloves, masks, plastic coverings, and paper bibs after treating a patient;
  • Failing to discard the above-mentioned items before leaving the examination room; and
  • Failing to wash hands and use sterilizing gel or lotion.

It is understandable that some of the above-mentioned mistakes happen occasionally in all dental offices.  After such mistakes occur, dental offices typically avoid the same mistakes in the future by ensuring all dentists, dental assistants and other dental employees are properly trained on sanitation practices.  Germs spread much easier than many people believe.  The transmission of bacterial and viral infections can cause numerous patients to become ill, and those patients may spread the infection to others.  If the illness is severe, the dentist and his or her dental staff may be held responsible and could face disciplinary action of the potential loss of their professional licenses or certificates pursuant to the Kansas Dental Board’s decision.

Proper Training Goes a Long Way

Because most people believe it is common sense to wash your hands and ensure an examination room is clean after each patient is seen, many dental offices do not train dental assistants about proper sanitation practices.  While dental assistants learn about sanitation practices while going to school to obtain their certificates, it is never a bad idea to ensure dental assistants are absolutely clear on the importance of proper sanitation practices.  Dental offices that require new hire training that covers sanitation practices are less likely to experience the common mistakes that could lead to potentially harmful consequences for patients.

Contact Danielle Sanger of the Sanger Law Office Today to Schedule Your Free Consultation

As a Kansas dental assistant, you already know how important it is to operate in a sterile environment.  However, mistakes do happen, and you do not deserve to lose your professional license or certificate over one mistake.  If you are facing disciplinary action by the Kansas Dental Board, or potentially the loss of your license or certificate, either temporarily or permanently, it is important that you speak with an experienced Kansas Professional License Defense Attorney as soon as possible.  Kansas Professional License Defense Attorney Danielle Sanger of the Sanger Law Office devotes her law practice to helping professionals like you fight to keep their Kansas professional licenses and certificates.  As a former Assistant Attorney General of Kansas, Danielle Sanger has the experience and skill necessary to provide you with the representation you deserve.  To speak with Danielle Sanger about your case, contact the Sanger Law Office today by calling (785) 979-4353 to schedule your free consultation.

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