Health
and Safety Standards
Dental
X-Rays and Safety
Some patients have concerns about the safety of x-rays, as well as
the need for them in the dental office. Although x-rays and
radiation sound scary, the amount of radiation used to expose dental
x-rays is very small. In fact, the average American actually
receives more radiation from sitting in front of the family television
during a year than from traditional x-rays taken at most dentists'
office.
We care about maintaining the health and beauty of your smile, and
dental x-rays are an indispensable part of diagnosing your oral health.
x-rays are taken to detect a number of conditions or diseases in the
mouth. By taking them periodically, this helps us detect adverse
situations early.
We protect our clients during their x-rays with a lead apron.
Because the reproductive organs are also sensitive to radiation, we
are very careful to protect these areas when taking dental films.
Embryonic tissues are also sensitive to x-radiation. If you
are in the first trimester of pregnancy or think you may be pregnant,
please tell us. We generally avoid taking x-rays during this
time, unless you have a specific dental emergency. Once you
are past the first trimester, if there is reason for taking x-rays,
we will take every precaution to protect you and your unborn baby
from any harmful radiation.
If you have any additional questions or concerns about dental x-rays,
just ask. We're here to help.
Sterilization and Infection Control
To protect your health, our office strictly meets or exceeds the safety
and sterilization guidelines recommended by OSHA, California State
Dental Board, and the American Dental Association to prevent the transmission
of infectious diseases.
- Wearing
gloves, masks, and protective eyewear during each patient examination
and treatment
- Washing hands
before and after each treatment and changing gloves after each
patient.
- Sterilizing or
disinfecting all dental instruments and equipment after each use
- Using a contracted
monitoring service to ensure the effectiveness of our sterilization
equipment
- Cleaning and
disinfecting the surfaces and equipment in the treatment room
after each use
- Covering patient
chairs, x-ray units, and light handles with disposable barriers
- Utilizing safety
techniques to prevent cross-contamination by properly disposing
of all contaminated waste products
