Pelton & Crane focus on waterline safety
An inability to pay for treatment, lack of transport to the dental office, and lack of perceived need are some of the biggest barriers to dental care for elderly patients, according to a new ADA survey.
The ADA Survey Center conducted the survey on behalf of the Council on Access, Prevention, and Interprofessional Relations in response to a resolution that called for initiatives related to the dental autoclave sterilizer oral health of vulnerable elders, according to an ADA news article.
“As we learn more about the oral-systemic relationship of disease, and as our population ages, we as a council are increasingly concerned about the quality of life faced by those elderly who have dental needs and little or no ability to have them addressed,” stated Jerald Boseman, D.D.S., a council member from Salt Lake City, in the article.
Other results from the survey include:
In 2007, more than 92% of all dentists provided care to the vulnerable dental air syringe elderly — patients who are over age 65 and have limited mobility, limited resources, or complex health status. More than 24% required dentists to consult with dental specialists, and more than 37% required dentists to consult with physicians. More than 68% of dentists said that they needed more information on managing patients with complex medical histories, managing xerostomia (63.6%), and managing dementia patients (49.1%). Some of the major barriers to care reported by the dentists included inability to pay for services (88.7%), lack of transportation to dentist’s office (68.4%), inadequate financial support for care from local, state, and/or federal programs (65.5%).
Hu-Friedy and Pelton & Crane have announced a new strategy for addressing infection control in dental waterlines.
To expand awareness and knowledge of dental waterline cleanliness, Hu-Friedy will be the exclusive distributor of Vista Research Group consumables, and Pelton & Crane will be the exclusive distributor of Vista-branded waterline equipment. “This strategy will allow both companies to exponentially spread the knowledge about an often forgotten infection control issue — clean water in every operatory,” the companies stated in a press release.
As part of this effort, Hu-Friedy is extending its Instrument dental air polisher Management System line to include Team Vista, a waterline treatment system for maintaining clean and fresh water in independent water bottle delivery systems. Team Vista is the only system that provides both an approved organic irrigant and registered antimicrobial cleaner to meet the water standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the ADA, according to Hu-Friedy.
Pelton & Crane will offer the Vista suite of equipment, including VistaClear and VistaPure. VistaClear is a dental waterline treatment system that eliminates the need for independent bottles; VistaPure provides a convenient and cost.