Are You Taking Infections Home After Dental Treatments?

In 2014, a screening and recall of 22,000 dental patients of one particular clinic - one of the biggest in the country's medical history, had been conducted by The National Health Services (NHS) in UK on breaching of infection control standards by the dentist. They did clinical risk assessment and made a conclusion that patients may have been put on a risk of blood-borne infections. A rare survey indeed!

With dental clinics mushrooming in over the last decade, the situation is even more alarming in India. Dr. Dibyendu Mazumdar, President - Dental Council of India has stated the fact in simple words, "A dental clinic has to be more careful about infection control than even the operation theatres at hospitals. This is because most patients come as walk-in patients (completely unaware of their present health status), for invasive dental procedures. If proper safety measures are not implemented, the risk of infection is alarming.