The current H1N1 flu virus outbreak shows us all just how important infection prevention procedures are in the dental laboratory. But not only should dental laboratories be concerned with protecting themselves from infection, as health care professionals it is important to keep in mind that they are a critical part of preventing the spread of viruses.

Participating in infection prevention courses and having well planned disinfection procedures is the first step, but keeping up to date with the latest recommended procedures is another important tool. For instance, many organizations recently recommended that disinfection procedures be upgraded due to the H1n1 outbreak.

As they say "Knowledge is power", so here are a few websites that can be extremely useful for dental laboratories and offices.

One of the best resources available for the dental industry regarding infection prevention is the Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures, or OSAP. You can find OSAP's current resources on the H1n1 flu virus here, or visit the OSAP home page at www.osap.org.

The ADA recently released updated information regarding the H1n1 flu virus and it is located at www.ada.org/goto/h1n1. Or you can visit the ADA home page at www.ada.org.

For a broad overview, the CDC has a wealth of resources that can be found at their website www.cdc.gov. The CDC also has an abundance of information specific to infection prevention in the dental field and it can be found at the CDC's "Infection Control in Dental Settings" portion of their Oral Health Website.

One last interesting fact is regarding the government's recommendations for staff who are involved in the process of preparing and taking impressions. As these people are often times in direct contact with bodily fluids, they advocate being immunized against diphtheria, hepatitis B, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, rubella, TB and tetanus.