The American Dental Association filed formal comments March 13 with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the agency’s draft guidance, Recommended Infection Control Practices for Dentistry, 2003.
The CDC announced Feb. 7 the first major revision since 1993 of CDC-recommended infection control procedures in dentistry. The guidance incorporates advances in infection control knowledge and technology acquired since the 1993 guidance. Several research studies conducted by the American Dental Association contributed to the formulation of new recommendations.
The recommendations were posted on the CDC Web site, "www.cdc.gov" and were withdrawn by the agency after the comment period expired March 17. An "infection control" notice on the CDC oral health page advises that the 1993 guidelines still are in effect, comments are under review and final guidance will be issued after the draft recommendations are revised. No timetable is given.
The draft recommendations were published in the Feb. 7, 2003, Federal Register, the official record of government regulatory activity, and are posted at "http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-3026.htm".
The Association generally supports the draft recommendations but indicated in formal comments that several areas need clarification. The comments also identified areas in which, the Association believes, the CDC could give dentists practical guidance on implementing recommended new procedures.
Further information on Association infection control policy and the draft guidelines is available on ADA.org at "www.ada.org/prof/prac/issues/topics/icontrol.html" and "www.ada.org/prof/pubs/daily/0302/0207cdc.html". The News section of the March issue of JADA also offers a brief news report on the CDC announcement. Finally, the ADA’s comments on the draft guidelines are posted on the Web at "www.ada.org/members/govt/issues/letters/infectcontrol.doc".
