Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

Practice Matters DENTAL TRIBUNE | April 20114A AD It’s an interesting paradox of these economic times. Although the unemployment rate nationwide remains high and it would seem that the job market would be flood- ed with able candidates, accord- ing to a recent Manpower survey, talent shortages remain a prob- lem. In some cases, employers have become so rigid in what they will accept that some very good, albeit not perfect, candidates are never even considered. The challenge is that the people available and the skills required by employers do not match up, par- ticularly as businesses seek greater specificity in the skill set. In other words, there may be plenty of talent but it’s not the right talent available in the right place at the right time. For these employers, flexibility is an issue. However, for dentists, the oppo- site is too often the case. Typically, dentists are so flexible in their hir- ing practices, they make JELL-O® look rigid. When a vacancy occurs in the practice, it is common for dentists to focus almost solely on filling the position and give lit- tle consideration to the long-term quality of the hire or the specificity of the skills required — particularly if the hire is going to be a business employee. They may zero in on one line on the resume that indicates a sliv- er of past dental office experience and consider this applicant to be “the one.” Yet they will disregard a multitude of red flags, such as By Sally McKenzie, CEO Is ‘quality employee’ an oxymoron in your practice? “Because these instruments come into contact with the mouth, it is no wonder they’re a breeding ground for bacteria,” said AGD spokesperson Cynthia Sherwood, DDS, FAGD. “As dentists, we see this same growth of bacteria in dentures, athletic mouthguards and toothbrushes.” Researchers found that many of the bacteria can cause illness in humans and are highly resistant to the antibiotics normally pre- scribed by general practitioners. This finding makes sterilization of instruments extremely important. “Instruments should be cleaned after each use to reduce the num- ber of organisms,” said Sherwood. “And cleaning should not be con- fined to the mouthpiece, since the bacteria invade the entire instru- ment.” To avoid transmission of bac- teria from instrument to player, parents and students should fre- quently wipe the surface of the instrument that comes into con- tact with the skin and mouth. The instrument should be taken apart for thorough cleanings on a regu- lar basis. Glass suggests using cleaning cloths and solutions made specifi- cally for instruments. Most impor- tantly, students are advised not to share their instruments with oth- ers. Students should consult with their band instructor for additional ways to disinfect their instruments. More information about oral health is available on the AGD website for the public, located at www.knowyourteeth.com. The website is a source of consumer information on dental care and oral health. Its goal is to provide reliable information in a format that is easy to use and navigate, and to provide the tools that will help consumers of all ages to care for their teeth and other aspects of oral care. DT (Source: Academy of General Dentistry) f DT page 1A