Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1387940
23 BECKER'S DENTAL + DSO REVIEW - VOL. 2021 NO. 3 QUALITY & INFECTION CONTROL North Carolina dentist has license suspended after patient death, allegations of opioid misuse By Gabrielle Masson T he North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners sus- pended the license of oral surgeon Mark Austin, DDS, fol- lowing an investigation spurred by a patient's death. According to the board's consent orders, a patient identified as H.P. visited Leland, N.C.-based Austin Oral & Maxillofacial Sur- gery July 30, 2020 for placement of a dental implant. Dr. Austin administered sedative agents prior to and during the proce- dure. Toward the end of the procedure, H.P.'s oxygen saturation levels dropped significantly. The oral surgeon unsuccessfully at- tempted ventilation and contacted 911. Patient H.P. was transported to the hospital, but died Aug. 3. This is the same day the State Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation into Dr. Austin regarding allegations of misuse of pharmaceutical drugs. On Jan. 4, 2021, the state dental board restricted Dr. Austin's general anesthesia permit and on May 6 suspended his den- tal license. The consent order alleges that Dr. Austin prescribed controlled substances for staff members, including those out- side the scope of practicing dentistry, such as narcotic cough suppressants and sedative-hypnotic medications. During a Drug Enforcement Agency audit, Dr. Austin couldn't account for substances that were supposed to be maintained at his office, including fentanyl, according to the order. Dr. Austin also allegedly took substances such as fentanyl from his office and used them personally in 2019 and 2020. A receptionist at Austin Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery told local news source WWAY that she was not authorized to comment on the matter. n Michigan dental practice fined for COVID-19 violations By Gabrielle Masson G rand Blanc-based Michigan Dental Wellness Center was fined $400 after a Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection that was initiated after an employee complaint. Citations were given for the following reasons: • Lack of a written COVID-19 preparedness and response plan. • Failure to require face coverings when social distanc- ing couldn't be maintained. • Not practicing social distancing to the maximum ex- tent possible at the worksite. • Not implementing industry-specific administrative and engineering controls for dental offices and not disin- fecting high-touch surfaces. If employers fix the problems and agree not to appeal, they only have to pay half the fine, otherwise they have 15 busi- ness days to appeal the citations. n Dentists have lower rates of COVID-19 infection: Study By Ariana Portalatin D entists continue to show lower rates of COVID-19 in- fection compared to other health professionals, ac- cording to a recent study published in The Journal of the American Dental Association. Researchers conducted monthly surveys with U.S. den- tists between June and November 2020 asking about COVID-19 testing received, symptoms and preventive pro- cedures followed in their primary practice. One-third of initial respondents completed all six surveys. Of the total number of respondents, the cumulative COVID-19 infec- tion prevalence rate was 2.6 percent during the six-month period, with incidence rates between 0.2 percent and 1.1 percent each month. The cumulative COVID-19 prevalence rate for other health professionals ranged from 3.3 percent to 35.3 per- cent in June 2020. The study is a continuation of a previous study published in October 2020, which also showed a lower infection rate among dentists compared to other health professionals. Additional studies are planned to examine use of person- al protective equipment and infection control procedures, according to a May 24 press release. n