What causes a dental clinic to become the source of a public health outbreak? This course will review real, documented infection control breaches and disease transmissions linked to dental settings. We will move beyond the headlines to analyze the root causes that led to these events and what we can do as dental healthcare professionals to prevent outbreaks in the future. The course provides a roadmap for integrating the highest standards of evidence-based practice, regulatory compliance, and continuous monitoring into a resilient culture of safety. A special focus will be placed on practical strategies on encouraging open dialogue and near-miss reporting to identify and mitigate risks before they can cause harm.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the root cause of past examples of documented outbreaks and infection control breaches that have occurred in dental clinics.
• Explore industry best practice, evidence-based strategies, regulatory compliance, and ongoing monitoring for creating a culture of safety.
• Identify techniques for promoting open dialogue, reporting near misses, and implementing corrective action in the dental setting.