Your Guide to Starting a Dental Practice

The importance of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) can’t be overstated. Employees must be trained on how to use, store, and dispose of them and when to replace them.
A policy should be in place for PPE that defines how it will be used, stored, and disposed of. Include the following points:

• PPE should provide both protection from exposure and comfort for dental staff.
• PPE must fit properly.
• Staff must wear appropriate gloves when they handle blood or body fluids and at all times while working with a patient.
• All staff members who work with patients need to know how to recognize contaminated items and prevent cross-contamination.

As a dentist, you will encounter many different situations that require immediate medical intervention. For example, if you are treating a patient and they suffer from a severe allergic reaction to the anesthetic or other medication used during their treatment, it is vital that you know how to respond appropriately. You must be prepared in case of an emergency with basic life support techniques such as CPR.

A safe environment for patient care is imperative. There are several general safety hazards to be aware of, such as providing good lighting and removing any tripping hazards within your new dental office.
In addition to the general safety hazards, you should also address issues specific to dentistry that could affect your patients’ health or cause harm if not addressed properly.

Especially if an office has been open for a few months, it can be easy to fall into bad habits of not being completely thorough with safety practices. Having a time set aside for evaluation and to double check that everything is being done correctly can prevent bad habits from starting.