Industry leaders come together to support dental safety
On February 23, representatives from 15 leading infection prevention and control companies attended the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) Corporate Forum to get a sneak peek and learn more about a new game-changing education and credentialing initiative for dental safety.
Over the years, several infection control breaches in dental settings made national headlines. To help address this issue, OSAP has formed a collaboration with the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB) and the DALE Foundation to create a multi-faceted infection control education and credentialing initiative.
“OSAP is combining its expertise in infection control with DANB for its certification and credentialing expertise and the DALE Foundation, a research and online education developer and official DANB affiliate, to launch a comprehensive education and credentialing solution,” explained OSAP Executive Director, Christina Thomas M.S., CAE.
Marguerite Walsh, Chair-Elect of OSAP and Vice President of Product Merchandising for Henry Schein Dental, kicked off the Corporate Forum at which OSAP-DANB-DALE Foundation shared preliminary research on the state of dental infection control education and announced their unique alliance designed to address gaps and advance dental safety.
One element of the OSAP-DANB-DALE Foundation collaboration is a new industry specialist designation program called the OSAP-DANB Dental Industry Specialist in Infection Prevention and Control™ program. This industry specialist designation is designed for sales representatives of infection control products and services.
“Our joint research revealed that dental sales representatives are often relied upon to provide infection control education to clinicians,” said DANB and DALE Foundation Executive Director Cynthia Durley, M.Ed., MBA. “The new DISIPC industry specialist program will educate and assess competency of industry representatives and will raise the bar on the quality and reliability of infection control information.”
Supporting innovation
The OSAP-DANB-DALE Foundation collaboration has received financial support from Founding Sponsors: Henry Schein Dental, Dentsply Sirona, Hu-Friedy, SciCan, Palmero Healthcare, and more than 40 individuals.
OSAP Foundation Chairman Andy Whitehead invited the corporate community to be part of this important solution. “This is a pivotal time in history and an opportunity to get involved at the grassroots of a major movement,” he said. “We believe that by investing in this education and credentialing program, we will help realize the vision of every dental visit being a safe dental visit. No donation is too small.”
OSAP, DANB and the DALE Foundation will be releasing more details on the dental industry specialist designation and the other education and credentialing activities in the months ahead. For more details or to be contacted regarding making an investment as a founding contributor, contact Jen Price, Director of Fundraising and Engagement, the DALE Foundation, at jprice@dalefoundation.org.
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About OSAP
The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (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. The organization’s Annual Conference is May 31-June 3 in Dallas, Texas. For additional information, visit www.OSAP.org.
About DANB
The Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB) is recognized by the American Dental Association as the national certifying board for dental assistants. DANB’s mission is to promote the public good by providing credentialing services to the dental community. DANB exams and certifications are recognized or required by 39 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Veterans Affairs. For more information, visit www.danb.org.
About the DALE Foundation
The DALE Foundation, the official DANB affiliate, benefits the public by providing quality continuing education and conducting sound research to promote oral health. The DALE Foundation offers interactive e-learning courses and study aids to help dental assistants and other dental auxiliaries expand their knowledge and grow their careers. To learn more, visit www.dalefoundation.org.