Copyright 1999 The Chronicle Publishing Co.
The San
Francisco Chronicle
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AUGUST 13, 1999, FRIDAY, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. A27; OPEN FORUM
LENGTH: 605 words
HEADLINE:
Needle Law Doesn't Cover the Bases in Dentistry;
Lag in development of
safety devices may harm profession
BYLINE: Gene Welling
BODY:
FIRST-IN-THE-NATION regulations mandating the
use of safety needles in health-care procedures that went into effect July 1 are
well-intended. They are designed to prevent needle-stick
injuries to health-care workers. They could, however, actually lead to more
injuries to dental-care workers. The California Dental Association understands
that the intent of the law is to reduce the frequency of "sharps" (slang for
numerous instruments used in the health-care field) injuries. The risk of
acquiring blood-borne pathogens through needle sticks during health-care
procedures is undisputed; many workers in hospital settings have contracted
diseases in this manner.
But although there has not been a single
documented case of disease transmission through the instruments and needles used
in dental offices, our profession was included in all aspects and requirements
of the new regulations. Furthermore, the use of dental safety needles has not
been examined as extensively as medical safety needles. A recent study published
in the California Dental Association Journal is the first to examine the use of
safety needles in dentistry. Results show that using safety products currently
on the market could actually lead to more needle injuries in dental workers.
The study, by researchers at the University of Pacific School of
Dentistry, was conducted with senior class dental students in a clinical
setting. It showed that the injury rate while using safety needles was three
times greater than with traditional needles.
One problem with the safety
needles studied was that the patient's breath would fog the protective sheath
over the needle, making the contents difficult to view. This problem, the study
found, led to the need for more reinjections, which increased the odds of
needle-stick injuries to the students.
There are very few safety devices
available in dentistry, and dentists and their staffs are being told to comply
with the requirements of a law whose benefit to them is dubious at best.
Additionally, dental offices and clinics -- more than 14,000 throughout
the state -- must complete extensive documentation on whether they are using
safety devices and, if they are not, explanations as to why.
The new law
requires that when and if new safety devices are introduced, dentists themselves
and their employees must test and evaluate them -- which has the potential to
put them at greater risk for injury, yet our members could be held liable if
they do not comply.
Another concern among dentists is that the state
Department of Health Services requires every dental office and clinic to keep
logs on needle-stick injuries, but they won't be collected for evaluation under
the law as it was drafted. Why are dentists being asked to keep logs that may
never be used?
Requiring dentists to comply with regulations that have
no relevance to their daily patient care or worker safety takes time away from
actual treatment time. This is especially true for the patients of small
practices that may be located in rural or underserved areas.
While we
agree that the law was well-intentioned, we will continue to work with state
officials to educate them on the need for regulations that directly address
needs in the dentistry field.
We also encourage dental manufacturers to
apply to the American Dental Association's Seal of Approval program, which has
recently been launched to test safety needles, so that dental offices have
independent verification that they are effective in preventing injury.
Gene Welling, a dentist in Eureka, is president of the
California Dental Association.
GRAPHIC: GRAPHIC, TOM
MURRAY/The Chronicle
LOAD-DATE: August 13, 1999
