OSAP Celebrates Dental Infection Control Awareness Month

As an authority on infection control, The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) is spearheading their annual campaign ‘Dental Infection Control Awareness Month’, which is held in September. DICAM was introduced as an annual observance of the Safest Dental Visit™ to help clinicians and infection control coordinators promote a safe, professional environment, encourage patient dialogue, attract new patients, and enhance the overall image of their practice. In September, providers can demonstrate commitment to infection prevention and patient safety with your patients. The theme of this year’s DICAM is “Spread the Word, Prevent Infections”. Each week will have a different infection control focus:

OSAP’s Executive Director, Michelle Lee, says “Infection control and prevention was brought to the world’s attention last year. Patients and providers have demonstrated high levels of interest regarding creating safe and reliable healthcare spaces. It is critical that we continue to support dental teams, clinicians, and infection control coordinators to address and prevent emerging threats and stay up-to-date on complex, ever-changing policies and guidelines.”

Support materials and resources for DICAM are available on the OSAP website at osap.org/DICAM. Resources include a printable poster and brochure and a customizable patient letter. The resources, usually reserved for members only, also include frequently asked questions and answers, scripts, and whitepapers.

Dental practices, educators, consultants and those in the dental trade are encouraged to “Spread the Word, Prevent Infections” by posting infection control best practices, success stories, or selfies on social media and joining the conversation using the hashtag #DICAM21. There are many individuals and practices in the industry that are doing great things and keeping their patients safe. To further encourage social media posts, OSAP will provide suggested messaging and images that can be used throughout the month.

ABOUT OSAP

 

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) is the only dental membership association solely focused on infection prevention and patient safety education. Our members include individual clinicians, group practices, educators, researchers, consultants, trainers, compliance directors, policymakers, and industry representatives who advocate for safe and infection-free delivery of oral healthcare. OSAP focuses on strategies to improve compliance with safe practices and on building a strong network of recognized infection control experts. OSAP offers an extensive online collection of resources, publications, FAQs, checklists, and toolkits that help dental professionals deliver the Safest Dental Visit™ possible for their patients. Plus, online and live courses help advance the level of knowledge and skill for every member of the dental team. For additional information, visit www.osap.org.