Keizer, Ore.-based Gentle Dental notified patients that some of its equipment may not have been properly sterilized March 25 and March 26, according to local FOX affiliate KPTV.
Patients were encouraged to get tested for blood borne pathogens "out of an abundance of caution." Gentle Dental said the exposure was minimal and that the risk of infection is low.
Gentle Dental provided the following statement to KPTV:
"We recently became aware that in one Gentle Dental office (Keizer, OR), there occurred an incident in which the final step in the multi-step sterilization process may have been compromised by an isolated failure to follow office policy. It is possible that one or more of the instruments may have been used for patient treatment during a limited time after the incident. Because we value our patients, Gentle Dental takes patient safety very seriously. Our offices follow all best practices advocated by the American Dental Association and the Dental Board, and strongly adhere to all Dental Board and other regulations pertaining to infection control.
As part of our robust safety program, our offices utilize autoclaves (which are tested weekly to ensure that they meet all guidelines for infection control) as part of a multi-step process of sterilizing instruments between patients in compliance with all state and federal recommendations. As soon as we discovered the issue, we took immediate action to address the problem to take care of our patients. While we believe that the risk of potential exposure is minimal, out of an abundance of caution, we are actively reaching out to all patients treated during the several days following the date of the incident and are offering to have them tested for potential exposure at Gentle Dental’s cost."
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Patients were encouraged to get tested for blood borne pathogens "out of an abundance of caution." Gentle Dental said the exposure was minimal and that the risk of infection is low.
Gentle Dental provided the following statement to KPTV:
"We recently became aware that in one Gentle Dental office (Keizer, OR), there occurred an incident in which the final step in the multi-step sterilization process may have been compromised by an isolated failure to follow office policy. It is possible that one or more of the instruments may have been used for patient treatment during a limited time after the incident. Because we value our patients, Gentle Dental takes patient safety very seriously. Our offices follow all best practices advocated by the American Dental Association and the Dental Board, and strongly adhere to all Dental Board and other regulations pertaining to infection control.
As part of our robust safety program, our offices utilize autoclaves (which are tested weekly to ensure that they meet all guidelines for infection control) as part of a multi-step process of sterilizing instruments between patients in compliance with all state and federal recommendations. As soon as we discovered the issue, we took immediate action to address the problem to take care of our patients. While we believe that the risk of potential exposure is minimal, out of an abundance of caution, we are actively reaching out to all patients treated during the several days following the date of the incident and are offering to have them tested for potential exposure at Gentle Dental’s cost."
More articles on dental:
Nevada Senate seeks to license dental therapists
Missouri dentist, wife charged with burning down practice in fraud scheme
Ex-MetroHealth COO, dental director sentenced 15 years for fraud, kickback scheme