ddodell@stjhmc.fidonet.org (David Dodell) (01/26/91)
AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION
POLICY ON HIV-INFECTED DENTISTS
The American Dental Association has adopted the
following policy in response to the Centers for Disease
Control January 18 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
on the possible transmission of HIV from an infected
dentist to three patients.
The dental profession has long adhered to a moral commitment of
service to the public and an ethical obligation to protect the health
of the patient. An Advisory opinion to the American Dental
Associations "Code of Professional Conduct" urges dentists who become
ill or impaired to limit the-activities of practice to those areas
that do not endanger either patients or dental staff.
Currently, there is no scientific evidence to indicate that HlV-
positive health-care providers pose an identifiable risk of HIV
transmission to their patients. There has been only one documented
case of transmission from an HlV-infected healthcare provider to
patients during the past ten Years of experience with AIDS, an
indication that the risk is infinitesimal. The ADA continues to
believe that the recommended infection control. procedures are
effective in preventing transmission of infection.
However, the recent case of possible HIV transmission from dentist to
patient has raised some uncertainty about the risk of transmission
from healthcare provider to patient. While there is evidence that
this dental practice did not consistently adhere to all recommended
guidelines for prevention of disease transmission, the precise
mechanism of transmission in this case remains unknown. This
uncertainty leads to the conclusion that the foremost concern of the
dental profession must continue to be protection of the patient.
@hus, until the uncertainty about transmission is resolved, the ADA
believes that HlV-infected dentists should refrain from performing
invasive procedures or should disclose their seropositive status.
The American Dental Association will assist and support infected
dentists in sustaining meaningful professional careers.
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