Does your dentist do this?

[bccb]

Hi,

I'm wondering if you could please kindly take a minute to answer some questions for me. I'd like to know if your dentist wears a mask, gloves, eyewear and opens the tools in front of you? I recently went to a new dentist in a new state and the dentist did wear gloves. The dentist did not however wear a face mask or protective eyewear (just wore his regular glasses) This dentist also did not open tools in front of me. The tools were laid out on a tray already when I arrived. I was having a cleaning and filing. Everything appeared clean, but you can never be sure. Is this common with the no mask and no opening of the tools in front of you? Or is this something I should be concerned by? In the past dentists I've been to this did not occur.

[bccb]

Of the 3 different offices I've been to over the years the dentist did have multiple rooms but used only one room, as the lights in the other room were always off and/or not used. Just wondering if this is the case for anyone else? I've never thought about these things until the OK case came up.

[Life360_Dave]

Normally dentist have mulitple rooms and have one cleaned while a patient is in the other. I think the Ok was not the norm but an individual dentist who was money hungry.

[bccb]

I also wanted to know if 5 minutes between patients is enough time to wipe all surfaces, and change tubing, drill hand pieces etc. It just seems like all that wouldn't be able to be accomplished safely between patients in 5 mins. One last thing he also had me close my mouth when the saliva ejector was in my mouth. He said it would clear everything from my mouth, which it did. But when I told all of this to a friend who is in the dental field she said that's not a good practice to have patients close their mouths when the saliva ejector is in there because it can create a vacuum and cause back flow in the tubing which can also put me at risk of catching something.

[bccb]

Thanks for all the responses. I feel a bit better about the situation however I can't help but think of all of those people in OK and the dentist that may have potentially exposed them to HCV and HIV due to the unsanitary conditions and bad sterilizing practices. I saw an interview where a person who was a patient of his said the office looked clean and everything was on the up and up. Kind of makes you think.... I know it's a slim chance but it does happen. I'm just going to take this as a learning experience and next time speak up if anything makes me uncomfortable in the first place.

[mammo]

I totally agree with the above posts.  A lot of what a dentist "wears" is for his protection...not ours.  A dentist would never used instruments that aren't sterilized and in a sanitary condition, they know the risks/liability involved for them should you become sick, their insurance premiums are sky high and they know that by being extra careful everyone is better off.  You can relax where this is concerned and take care.

[Life360_Dave]

Hi and welcome. Each dentist has their own way and i feel your new dentist was ok with those actions. These are highly trained doctors and cant see him using unsteralized tools on you, absolutly out of the question. my dentist does not use a mask either. He does have bad breath and really wish he would however!!!!!!!!!

[scottma]

Your new dentist did not protect himself very well, he is taking his own risk, not yours.