Disclosing Infectious Disease Status

By Melanie E. Patterson, RDH, BSDH, Abbigale D. White, RDH, BS, BSDH, Kimberlynn N. Patzold, RDH, BSDH, Tracy King, RDH, MS, Faizan Kabani, PhD, MBA, MHA, RDH, FAADH, Leigh Ann Wyatt, RDH, MA, MS

Transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from oral healthcare providers to patients in the 1970s and 1980s increased awareness of disease transmission risks in healthcare settings.¹ Realization that bloodborne pathogens (BBPs) could be transmitted while conducting an exposure-prone procedure resulted in the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for the continued practice of HBV-positive and/or HIV-positive dental professionals.¹

* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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