CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE: Dentistry’s Overlooked Threat
June 6 @ 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm EDT
COURSE SUMMARY:
After surviving a life threatening Clostridium difficile infection following a periodontal procedure, our Chief Education Officer and Speaker, Dr. Kirsten is sounding the alarm. Clostridium difficile is no longer just a board question, it is now considered an urgent public health threat that is under recognized by the dental profession.
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) continues to be a challenging clinical and infection control issue for healthcare facilities including dental practices. C. Difficile Infection (CDI) kills 15% of those diagnosed in the first 30 days and approximately 25% of those infected will have at least 1 recurrence. The purpose of this course is to raise awareness of the new virulence of this organism, and promote the most effective ways to control and prevent CDI, including antibiotic stewardship and infection control measures in the dental practice.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Discuss the pathogenesis, clinical features, and current trends in virulence and prevalence of Clostridioides difficile and C. difficile diseases
- Identify populations at increased risk for C. difficile infection
- Describe ways C. difficile can be transmitted
- Apply key principles and develop a specific strategy for infection control and prevention of C. difficile infection within the dental practice, including administrative controls, environmental cleaning, and antimicrobial stewardship.
