Effective Dental Services and Team Work

This assignment focuses on the crucial role nurses play in delivering effective dental services. It emphasizes the significance of adhering to relevant legislations and guidelines to ensure patient safety in dental care settings. The document highlights the benefits of teamwork in enhancing patient care and outlines essential factors for effective team collaboration, such as establishing a clear vision, defining roles, promoting communication, and holding individuals accountable.

Contribute to health
and safety in the
dental environment

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Four policies and procedures that covers health and safety legislation and role of employer
and dental nurse...........................................................................................................................1
1.2................................................................................................................................................2
1.3 Identification of three aspects relevant to dental nurse role..................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Hazards in dental surgery......................................................................................................4
2.2 Four working practices..........................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
3.2 Four set of guidelines for environment friendly working.....................................................5
3.3 Four healthy and safety guidelines to protect others.............................................................6
3.4................................................................................................................................................8
3.5 Five ways that effective team working can make care more effective.................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Every type of enterprise remain liable to maintain health and safety at workplace. Dental
care services are relate with the services which are offer to maintain the teeth healthy. Various
aspects are there which affect the quality of services related with dental care (Cameron and
Widmer, 2013). Role of dental nurse and main policies that cover health and safety legislations is
all detailed under this report. Further, major hazards consists in dental surgery and guidelines to
protect individual and other is also given in this. In addition to this, guidelines for ensure
environment friendly working is also mentioned in this.
TASK 1
1.1 Four policies and procedures that covers health and safety legislation and role of employer
and dental nurse Health and safety at work act, 1974: This act is also popular as HSW or HASAW and
this is one of the main part of heath and safety legislation of United Kingdom. This create
a responsibility on all employers to ensure that all practices are reasonable practical and
contribute more in health and safety of individuals and welfare at work. This act requires
maintenance and safe operations at working environment. This ensure safe handling, use
and storage of dangerous substances. This focus that proper training must be offered to
all employees and there must be proper provision related with welfare of staff members.
For maintain safety at dental clinic, employers require keep a written record of health and
safety policy and should consult with all representatives and employees on continuous
basis. Management of health and safety at work regulations, 1999: This act place a duty on
managers and employers to manage the risk to their employees which rising from work
operations and activities. Employer is one who remain liable to make arrangements at
workplace in order to ensure health and safety of employees and to offer adequate
training to all staff members. Further, it comes under the responsibility of employees to
work as per the set rules and instructions given to them. Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations, 1995: This act
is also known as RIDDOR and the regulations requires employers to report major
injuries, work related diseases, deaths and dangerous occurrences (Chartier, 2014). All
these incidents can be reported to incident contact centre and via online.
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 Workplace (health, safety and welfare) regulations, 1992: This act consists number of
regulation concerned with working environment. This give rise to responsibility of
employer, to make sure that work environment is safe, secure and suitable for carry out
any kind of operations and does not present any kind of risk to staff members and other
workers.
Role of dental nurse
Every kind of dental under have a legal obligation to cooperate with managers and
employers at workplace in order to carry out practices as per the safety requirements. Basically,
these are the one who remain responsible to protect patients and every individual who visit the
premises. A dental nurse is the one which can be recruit as a representative of safety under the
act for purpose of improve practices related with health and safety matters (Gambhir and et. al.,
2011). Two major regulations in protect the welfare of nurses include Health and safety
regulations 1997 and management of health and safety at work regulations 1999.
1.2
Workplace procedure Legislation related to
workplace procedure
Why is it important to
follow the procedures?
Safe working methods
and equipment
The management of Health
and Safety at Work
Regulation 1999
It is highly essential to
maintain these regulation in
order to maintain health
and safety to patients.
Safe use of hazardous
substances
Control of Substances
Hazardous to Health
Regulations (COSHH) 2002
There are certain elements
which are present in a
hospital which needs to be
kept out of reach from
children and specially
patients so that it does not
affect and hamper the
health.
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Smoking Tobacco Products Control
Act 2006
This is highly important for
a hospital to make
environment free of
tobacco because smoking
kills and it also affects the
people specially patients
who can have reaction
through the smoke of
tobacco.
Eating Feed Hygiene Regulation
(183/2005)
There are certain food
products which are not
suitable to eat in the
hospital as there are some
hygienic codes which needs
to be maintained.
Drinking and drugs Health Administration
Reorganization Act of 1992
Drinking and Drugs are
very injurious to health and
thus it is prohibited in
hospital because it is highly
essential to maintain the
health of patients.
Emergency
procedures
Emergency Medical
Treatment and Active Labour
Act 1986
It is important to follow
this to offer effective
services to the patients who
need help.
Personal presentation Health and Safety at Work
Act 1974
For provide services to
patients as per the special
requirements.
Moving and handling Manual Handling Operations
Regulations 1992
To ensure safe handling
and movement of large
equipments.
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1.3 Identification of three aspects relevant to dental nurse role Latex gloves: In order to give better and effective treatment to patients, it is very essential
for nurses to use the instructions given. Gloves can protect both healthcare workers and
patients from the infections carried on hands. Basically, these are used to prevent
contamination of hands of healthcare workers when they direct contact with body
substances and blood. Further, it is very essential for nurses to carry gloves while
handling equivalents related with patient's care (Hockenberry, Wilson and Rodgers,
2016). One of the main reason of using gloves is that it helps in reduce spreading of
infections. Gloves have the capacity to protect service providers from transmission of
various type of infections including bloodborne. Light curer: It is a piece of dental equipment which is use for polymerization of light
cure. This is used by various materials related with dental that are curable by light. While
use this equipment for dental care, it is very essential for nurses to follow the
manufacturer's instruction because curing intensity of LED build heat on tip of the device
and give chances of accidents. It is very essential for nurses to use this with extra
precaution and direct contact with patient's skin must be avoided.
 Endodontic files: Basically these are known as surgical equipments which is used by
dentists while giving root canal treatment to patients. It is very essential that this
equipment must be use by proper care. In order to offer effective dental care and
treatment to patient.
TASK 2
2.1 Hazards in dental surgery
Hazards include in the dental surgery are as follows: Infectious hazards: Sharps objects such as needles transfer viral infections from which
some are life threatening such as acquire immunodeficiency syndrome. Bacterial
infections play a significant role and one of the main cause which must be concerned is
tuberculosis. Psychological hazards: Stress is the biggest psychological state that mostly occurs in
dental profession. Number of research has reveal that dentists perceive their profession
more stressful as compare to various other jobs. Further, media has induces a negative
picture of this profession as filled with large dangers.
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 Allergic reactions: When dentists offer services to patients then this give rise to number
of chances of having allergic reactions. Gloves contain latex are known as of the major
and most important reason of causing skin allergy and irritation. Further various aspects
such as dental materials, solvents, lubricating oils, detergents and X ray chemicals al
leads skin allergy (Homme and et. al., 2014). Physical hazards: This consists complications which have direct relation with dental
process like posture situations which increase the contorting and twisting of body etc. Mercury health hazard: High mercury vapour leads to various neurological and
biological issues. Various capsules use water irrigation, good ventilation and discarding
of amalgam all this diminish the mercury dangers. Ionizing radiation: While take X ray machines in dental office results to dentists suffer
from ionizing radiation (Sarkar and Shigli, 2012).
 Non ionizing radiation: Use of various resins which are next to the use of lasers in dental
process, all has give rise to various hazards.
2.2 Four working practices
 Chair side assisting: Eye injury from projectiles during treatment.
 Instrument decontamination: Inoculation injury
 Use of autoclave: Burns from hot equipments.
 Exposure to hazardous chemicals: Skin and eye contact.
TASK 3
3.2 Four set of guidelines for environment friendly working
Dentistry is a highly resources and energy intensive having environmental impact. Large
number of elements such as demand of electricity for electronic dental equipments,
environmental affects of biomaterials and voluminous water requirements all contribute towards
this. Main guidelines for environmental friendly working are as follows: Equipments: Number of equipment and resources are use by dentists to offer effective
services and treatment to patients. In order to make the workplace environment friendly it
is very essential medical care homes to unplug the equipments when not in use and for
this, t is very essential for managers to encourage staff members to shut down computers
and various other equipment when they leave workplace. Further, high quality resources
must be purchase so it will not become obsolete early and will save lot of company's cost.
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 Electricity: A little variation in lighting, air conditioning and fixed resources largely
affect the energy which consume by medical care homes to offer services to its patients.
All vending machines must be unplug, ask staff members to turn off lights when they
leave. Further, automatic switches must be use in areas such as bathrooms as this will
save electricity (Huang and et. al., 2012). Transportation: Workers must be encourage to make walking while they come at
workplace and this can be achieve by offer bonus to the ones who agree on the same.
Further, efficient vehicles must be use by firm for transportation. In addition to this,
facilitating of bike parking must be offer by company.
 Miscellaneous: Further, in order to make the workplace environment friendly, it is very
essential for dental care homes to offer clean and flittered water to its patients. In addition
to this, if it offer tea and coffee to its patients then it must be organic.
3.3 Four healthy and safety guidelines to protect others
Health and safety at workplace is the first factor of legislation that cover work related
health and safety at workplace. This set out various responsibilities of employer for ensure safety
and health at work. Various regulations cover various aspects such as construction work,
chemicals, lead and gas safety. Health and safety executive is liable to encourage safety at
workplace.
Risk assessments: It comer under the responsibility of employer to ensure safety of
employees and patients at workplace (Sakaguchi and Powers, 2012). This starts which risk
assessment which consists identification of potential safety and health hazards. For this, it is very
significant to recruit a competent individual for maintain safety at workplace. For ensure safety
and health at workplace following must be done by the dental care homes:
 Make sure that all places are properly clean and ventilated.
 There should be light premises so workers and staff members can move from place to
another and can work safely.
 Ensure that enough space are there to ensure big movement easily.
 All equipments must be place in right order.
 Protect individuals from falling from height and into dangerous substances.
 Provide effective and suitable facilities of drinking and washing.
 Store things in right manner in order so they does not fall and cause any kind of injury.
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 Work workstations which suit to all staff members so they can work effectively (Hymel
and et. al., 2011).
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3.4
Hazard How would you manage this hazard in the
workplace?
Responsible person
Mercury spillage For manage mercury spillage it is very
essential to follow the following process:
 Determine the extent of spill
 Contain the spill
 Preparation
 Clean up
 Disposal
 Follow up
Staff members
Radiation For manage radiation, it is very essential for
take care of skin or the area of treatment.
Service providers
Cross infection Use of antibiotics to manage this hazard. Service providers
Environmental
factors
By doing environmental study. Managers
Spillages For manage this hazard, it is very essential to
follow this step:
 Select appropriate PPE
 Wipe up spot immediately with
tissue or paper towel
 Discard contaminated materials
 Perform hand hygiene
Service providers
Waste disposal  Use cloth bags instead of plastic
bags.
 Reduce paper usage
Managers
Sharps Before use sharp objects, it is very essential
to make sure dentist have all the items near
by.
Dentists
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3.5 Five ways that effective team working can make care more effective
Teamwork in health is defined as when two or more individuals come and interact with
each other in order to deliver health and care services to patients. There is no doubt when two or
more individuals work together then it produce more and positive outcome. One of the main
feature of working in a team is that it ensure optimum utilisation of all resource and at the same
provide various other benefits to firm (Pant, 2012). When a team offer services to patient then
this ensure better care and contribute more in their health. In order to make the working of a
team more effective, it is very essential to follow the points given below:
 Establish a effective vision for team.
 Clarify roles and responsibilities of every team member
 Promote collaboration and communication
 Hold every individual accountable
 Consider team building during hiring
CONCLUSION
From the above information, it can be summarised that nurses play a big role in offer
effective dental services to patients. In order to work effectively, various legislations and
guidelines are there which must be use by dental care homes in order to ensure safety of patients
at workplace.
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