The Dental Board of Australia (the Board) has published new infection prevention and control resources, in effect from 1 1 July 2022, which replace the Guidelines on infection control.
The resources, which include a self-reflective tool, FAQs and fact sheet, have been developed to help practitioners understand their obligations to practise safely, critically reflect on how they practise and address some common questions.
Speaking about the new resources, the Board Chair, Dr. Murray Thomas, highlighted the support they will provide to the safe practice of dentistry.
“We know dental practitioners practise safely and will continue to prioritise the safety of their patients. The new resources will allow us more flexibility in providing new information as it becomes available, keeping the profession up to date”, he said.
Noting that the “that the new resources are in line with the Dental Board’s incremental approach towards risk-based regulation”, Dr. Thomas stressed that:
“This new approach the Board is taking will not require any changes to current practise. If you’re practising safely, which the large majority of practitioners are, then keep doing what you’re doing.”
‘We sincerely thank everyone who has been involved in developing these resources, particularly the input we’ve had from dental practitioners. I strongly encourage all practitioners to visit our website and familiarise themselves with the resources’, Dr Thomas said.
