Because you're worth it…

Injuries sustained from wire and needle stick accidents, bites, and the cleaning surgical equipment prior to autoclaving are all very much a reality in the world of dental surgery – and it's not just the surgeon carrying out the procedure that is at risk. In fact, on many occasions it is assisting staff, such as dental nurses and hygienists who have been the unfortunate recipients of sharps injuries that have occurred during the transfer or disposal of equipment. It is, therefore, no surprise that the British Dental Journal stated that there is a 56% chance of a dental practitioner receiving a needle stick injury in a one-year period. As well as pain and stress, a sharps injury carries with it the potential of acquiring up to 20 blood borne infections. Some can be treated with relative ease and carry little threat, but viruses such as Hepatitis B, C and HIV can be life-threatening, with one of three people contracting Hepatitis B from a sharps accident, and at least four UK healthcare workers known to have died following occupationally-acquired HIV.