Ronald Goers, DDS, with his practice, Goers Dental Care in Darien, has received the 2012 certificate of completion for OSHA training in safety and infection control. Dr. Goers put his staff through an annual and rigorous Boot Camp offered by Pat Pine of Unique Dental Services which he knows is vital protection for himself, his fellow dentists, his staff and ultimately his patients
With the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the United States Congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to assure safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance
Dental practices are required by law to undergo OSHA training each year, but the majority of dentists are unaware of this requirement, or they take the easy way out and show a decades-old video or even ignore the rule altogether.
“It is absolutely vital to have annual in-office training with updated CDC and OSHA guidelines for safety and infection control,” said Pat Pine, authorized OSHA trainer, coach and international speaker. “Frequently, the dentist and the staff don’t know what they don’t know.”
Pine sites a little known rule about temporary employees who must be trained before starting employment. Even if the temp has decades of experience as a hygienist or dental assistant, he or she must be trained specifically to the new office. Pine helps the dentist develop a checklist to expedite the training without missing any of the vital steps.
A resident of Plainfield, Pine continually educates herself on the latest technology and methods of sanitation, OSHA safety and infection control. She travels the country with her boot camp, and her stories of the inadequacies in most practices are very scary. Pine’s motto is “1smile 4 ever” and “Our health is as valuable as our smile.”
“If all the practices were like Dr. Goers’, my job would be a dream,” Pine said. “He cares and so does his team. Their attitude towards fine-tuning their practice is wonderful, and I enjoy working with dedicated teams like this one. The result is excellence in every way.”
“Pat knows where we’ve been and that we put our patients first – always,” Dr. Goers said. “We find it important to stay current and compliant with the ever-changing standards for sterilization, both for the safety of the patients and the staff. Pat gives us realistic suggestions towards this goal. Her experience as a hygienist and her years as an OSHA trainer make her an incredible asset to our practice.”
Pine’s boot camp sessions are a minimum of four hours long and require the full attention of the dentist(s) and staff. No patients are seen during this time, and she insists on complete concentration. But the positive results are too critical to ignore.
“It cannot be thought of as spending money,” Pine said. “Rather, it’s about reducing the dentist’s liability and, in the long run, saving him or her lots of money. We live in a litigious society. Period. Everyone needs to be updated. It’s not enough to see a video anymore.”
Pine suggests the following questions a patient should ask his or her dentist and especially a new dentist:
- When was your last in-office OSHA training? (The answer should be within the last 12 months.)
- How do you sterilize your instruments? (95 percent will answer – steam. Other possible positive answers are dry heat and using a Chemiclave.)
- How do you disinfect each room? (What you’re looking for here is a disinfectant that has TB claim that is intermediate hospital grade.)
Goers Dental Care is at 6700 Rt. 83, Darien. For more information, call 630-789-0900 or visit http://www.goersdentalcare.com
Ronald Goers, DDS, is a graduate of Loyola University and is a member of the American Dental Association (ADA), the Chicago Dental Society, and DOCS – Doctors of Oral Conscious Sedation. In addition to his penchant for the latest technology, he is trained in cosmetics, endodontics and restorative dentistry.
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Media Contact: Andy Richardson
Ginny Richardson Public Relations
630-789-8899 or [email protected]