Cliff's Notes

“Examination Gloves, What You Don’t Know!” & a Product Review – “Hiring Solutions!”

Cliff’s Notes for July 5, 2011

….. E-Blast…..

 

Cliff Marsh, Henry Schein ……Cell: 201-321-7494……Fax: 201-262-2210…..E-mail: cliff.marsh@henryschein.com

http://www.cliffsnotesblog.wordpress.com 

“If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.”

James Goldsmith

  

In This Week’s Issue

• Infection Control – Exam Gloves, What You Don’t Know!
• Product Review – Henry Schein Hiring Solutions!

 

Gloves, What You Don’t Know!………………………………………………………………………

Definition: Latex Allergy

By Mayo Clinic staff

Latex allergy is a reaction to certain proteins found in natural rubber latex, a product manufactured from a milky fluid that comes from the rubber tree. If you have a latex allergy, your body mistakes latex for a harmful substance. Latex allergy may cause allergic reactions ranging from sneezing or a runny nose to anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition. Your doctor may determine if you have a latex allergy or if you’re at risk of developing a latex allergy. Understanding latex allergy and becoming familiar with common sources of latex can help you prevent your own allergic reactions or those of someone else.

Exam Gloves are probably the most misunderstood and abused safety device in a dental office. Here too the 80/20 rules comes into effect. 80% of dental practices choose price over quality. Why are some brands so much more expensive than others? Well, you get what you pay for.

Inexpensive exam gloves usually have lower manufacturing quality control standards. Also, they often vary in quality because the distributor is choosing different factories due to contracts and pricing. Latex gloves are “big business and high volume” and that spells profit. Remember the crowns from China that contained lead? Again, you get what you pay for.

Quality exam gloves are quality controlled and each lot is tested for micro leakage. Distributors like Crosstex, Henry Schein, Microflex, Ansell, J&J, etc. require certain specifications and documentation that the product is above CDC guide lines. The quality and consistency of the gloves will always be the same.

Due to the large percentage of the population that have latex allergies (10%), Nitrile gloves are becoming more popular and are a  multi-layered defensive strategy. Protecting your staff and patients from allergic reactions that in some cases can be life threatening, should be a priority issue. Anyone challenging you in a court of law over a reaction to latex enzymes WINS!!

Remove your gloves when you leave the patient. I can’t tell you how many docs and staff walk to the front desk or into another room wearing contaminated gloves. Charts, pens, key boards should not be handled while wearing contaminated glove unless your plan is to send the bugs home with your staff or yourself. 

Exam gloves, like face masks, wear out quickly. They should be changed often and considered your front line of defense in you infection control protocol. When you look at the real facts, the difference between a $5.00 box of gloves and a $10.00 box is $0.50/patient and peace of mind.

Is it safe to wash gloves before use?

Washing of latex gloves with plain soap, chlorhexidine, or alcohol can cause micropunctures. This condition, known as “wicking,” may allow liquids to penetrate through undetected holes in the gloves. For that reason, washing of gloves is not recommended.

Are gloves affected by dental materials?

Exposure to glutaraldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and alcohol preparations may weaken latex, vinyl, nitrile, and other synthetic glove materials. Other chemicals associated with dental materials that may weaken gloves include acrylic monomer, chloroform, orange solvent, eugenol, cavity varnish, acid etch, and dimethacrylates. Because of the diverse selection of dental materials on the market, glove users should consult glove manufacturer about the compatibility of glove material with various chemicals.

Are there different types of gloves?

Yes, there are. The type of glove used should be based upon the type of procedure to be performed (e.g., surgical vs. nonsurgical, housekeeping procedures). Medical-grade nonsterile examination gloves and sterile surgical gloves are medical devices regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). General-purpose utility gloves are not regulated by the FDA because they are not promoted for medical use. Sterile surgical gloves must meet standards for sterility assurance established by the FDA and are less likely than nonsterile examination gloves to harbor pathogens that may contaminate an operative wound.

Personal Protective Equipment – FAQs – Infection Control in Dental Environment

Oct 14, 2009 – Primary Navigation for the CDC Website.

http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/infectioncontrol/faq/protective_equipment.htm

How Henry Schein Can Help Find Quality Employees…………………………………..

Are you having trouble finding “good help”. If you’re working hard and the practice doesn’t seem to be growing, maybe you have staff issues. Most business owners are “nice people” and display loyalty to their staff, but that can end up being a disaster.

An efficient and harmonious team will enhance the bottom line. With that said, Henry Schein has added a new resource to our business development format. We call it “Hiring Solutions”.

What is the Henry Schein Dental Hiring Solution?

The Henry Schein Dental Hiring Solution is an easy to use 3-step process to help dentists hire better performing employees, with minimal time and effort. The system on which Henry Schein Dental Hiring Solution is based is currently used by a number of industry leaders in many different fields. It has helped qualify hundreds of thousands of candidates and now has been completely customized for Dental Practices.

How does it work?

Dentists register here and then follow the 3 easy steps.

Step 1: Choose from a library of pre-defined job profiles and customize if needed

Step 2: Quickly build a job ad and easily post it where you want

Step 3: Manage your job opening and automatically qualify and measure your candidates

What job profiles are available for dentists?

Many job profiles have been developed, including Assistant, Secretary, Hygienist, Treatment Coordinator, Office Manager and Associate Dentist.

How much does it cost?

The Henry Schein Dental Hiring Solution is priced per job opening and even includes in-depth psychometric testing:

•Assistant and Secretary: $249

•Hygienist, Treatment Coordinator, Office Manager: $349

•Associate Dentist: $59

How do you benefit from the Henry Schein Dental Hiring Solution?

It will help you hire only people who have the rights skills, experience, and qualifications for the job, only interested and motivated applicants with a “can-do” attitude, only people who fit your practice.

“The Dental Hiring Solution has fundamentally changed the way I hire new staff. It’s extremely well organized, customizable, and completely web based. The software helps to categorize prospective employees by job title and qualifications, while eliminating staff interruptions with phone calls and emails. I will never go back to my old methods.”

Fred Peck, DDS, AAACD, Cincinnati, OH

This software has been customized exclusively for Henry Schein customers. You can work directly with iScopia, the creators of the Dental Hiring Solution. If, within the first 30 days after hiring, the customer is not satisfied with the person hired, they will be able to use the Henry Schein Dental hiring Solution to hire a replacement employee, at no cost.

What resources are available?

A Support Team is available at 1-877-338-3855, Monday to Friday, from 8:30AM through 5PM EST.

For more information log onto: http://www.iscopia.com/henryschein/

Note: Please, make sure you have an up to date employee handbook. If not, please contact me at any time to discuss the ramifications. 

Tuesday, July 5, 2011……………………………………………………………………………………

Sometimes you got to take a break! Cliff’s Notes did not publish on Sunday July 3^rd because you need to have a life outside of dentistry.

If you were consumed with your practice over the holiday weekend, there is a “quality of life” issue. Are you living to work, or working to live? Please feel free to contact me at any time to discuss options and solutions to problems that exist in every dental practice.

Cliff Marsh

Henry Schein Dental

P.O. Box 663 / 45 Rt. 46 East, Suite 605

Pine Brook, NJ 07058

Cell: 201-321-7494

Fax: 201-262-2210

cliff.marsh@henryschein.com

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July 5, 2011 - Posted by Cliff's Notes Blog | Uncategorized