Patient safety

Bruce Trundy, in his letter “Universal Precautions” (BDN, June 17), cites recent investigations which report many dentists do not practice universal precautions — some dentists lack adequate sterilization equipment and others do not adequately sterilize their drills.

His answer, to insist that patients with HIV receive routine dental care in hospital settings at added costs to themselves, singles out these individuals and treats them differently than other patients and charges them more in the process. My suggestion is to close down dentists whose practices are not up to standards established by health codes and to insist that the healthcare provider practice universal precautions. The onus is on the practitioner to provide safety for the patients, not vice versa.

Many people carry HIV before it is detectable through testing. Many others will not get tested because they fear the results. Those patients who do not know their HIV status or do not disclose their status sit in dentist’s chairs every day. Because they don’t know, the dentist won’t know, and if he or she runs a sloppy practice and fails to uphold the established universal precautions, it is that dentist, not the patient, who will ultimately put you or I at risk. Dr. Randon Bragdon refused to treat Sidney Abbott like any other patient. Does he have adequate equipment, a solid sanitary practice, and always practice universal precautions? If so, why the decision to treat at the hospital? Sharon M. Johnson Winterport