Event Details
Date & Time:
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
5:30pm PST | 6:30pm MST | 8:30pm EST
Description:
Instruments are the foundation of clinical excellence, yet their safety and functionality are often overlooked. More often than not, dental hygienists use instruments beyond their intended lifespan, putting both patients and clinicians at risk. This webinar highlights the critical importance of maintaining functional safety in dental hygiene instruments to ensure we provide optimal patient care, clinician efficiency, and workplace safety.
Participants will learn to identify compromised instruments, recognize the risks associated with worn or damaged tools, and implement effective strategies to assess, maintain, and retire instruments proactively. By prioritizing functional safety, dental hygienists can improve clinical performance, protect their patients, and consistently deliver an exceptional patient experience.
Learning Objectives:
- Define functional safety and explain its importance in maintaining clinical performance and patient care.
- Identify key signs of compromised dental instruments, including structural wear, dullness, and damage.
- Evaluate the risks of using unsafe instruments, such as increased clinician fatigue, patient discomfort, and procedural inefficiency.
- Develop a protocol for routine assessment, maintenance, and retirement of instruments to uphold safety and effectiveness.
- Incorporate best practices for instrument care to extend lifespan, ensure reliability, and promote workplace ergonomics.
- Develop strategies to create an annual budget for instrument maintenance and replacement, and learn how to effectively communicate the importance of functional safety to the dental team to gain support for necessary changes.
Speaker Bio:
Kathleen Bokrossy, RDH, BScRDHU Inc.
Kathleen Bokrossy has been an inspiring force in the dental profession for over 30 years. As the founder and president of rdhu Inc., Kathleen has redefined professional development by creating dynamic team events and delivering evidence-based education through immersive hands-on workshops and innovative online learning. Known for her infectious energy and engaging presentation style, Kathleen empowers dental professionals to "transform the dental hygiene experience"—elevating patient care, enhancing team collaboration, and driving practice growth.