Our Updates

A 2022 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites the unfortunate news that antimicrobial resistance is currently a leading cause of death worldwide. In the U.S., statistics predict that  over 3 million Americans will likely develop an antimicrobial-resistant infection each year; in 2019, close to 49,000 Americans died from antibiotic resistant infection.

It is no secret that Long Term Care facilities, including Skilled Nursing Facilities as well as assisted living centers, have seen a challenging couple of years in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Now, to complicate matters even more, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have issued new guidelines for evaluators to use when doing regulatory compliance inspections. Specifically, this June 29, 2022 CMS Fact Sheet states, “CMS is issuing surveyor guidance which clarifies specific regulatory requirements and provides information on how compliance will be assessed.”

National statistics showed progress from 2015 to 2019 in the reduction of common hospital-associated infections (HAIs) at U.S. health facilities. Unfortunately, the start of the pandemic in the U.S. in 2020 reversed this trend. Recently, there has been a significant increase in some  HAIs, especially those related to the use of medical devices.

Since its start at the end of 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated global public health news. As the COVID-19 cases surge and wane with each variant, it’s easy to forget that there are other viruses lurking in the environment. Seasonal viruses, such as the common cold virus, rhinovirus, influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and norovirus  share symptoms with COVID-19. As Dr. Abdul El-Sayed stated in this interview, the only way to be sure if a sick person has COVID-19—rather than the flu, for example—is with a test.

Every tool is made for a purpose and works at its best when used as intended. The same holds true for disposable gloves. They are not all created equal, so it’s important to choose the right glove to use under the right circumstances. Using the wrong glove could be a safety hazard, interrupt workflow and waste money, time and resources.

The ongoing role that Dental Hygienists play in the dentistry industry presents an opportunity to highlight the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concerning infection prevention in general, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for dental healthcare providers.