OSAP announces agenda for 2004 symposium

May 24, 2004
The conference offers attendees up to 22.5 hours of CE opportunities and the opportunity to network with colleagues, educators, and representatives of the dental trade.

The Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures (OSAP) has finalized the program for its annual symposium at the Eden Roc Renaissance Resort & Spa in Miami Beach June 10-13. The conference, titled, Dental Infection Control and Safety: Paving the Road to the Future, offers attendees up to 22.5 hours of continuing education opportunities and the opportunity to network with colleagues, educators, and representatives of the dental trade.

Presentation highlights of the conference include:

** "Infection Control and Public Health" Current Challenges and Future Opportunities," a keynote address by Dr. Dushanka Kleinman, deputy director and assistant surgeon general, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps of the National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research

** "Global Horizon Scanning: What's Around the Next Curve in Dentistry," led by representatives of the World Health Organization, National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and the dental industry

** "You Asked For It", a panel presentation with real-time updates on diseases, sterilization and disinfection, hand rubs, and regulatory agencies' role in meeting these challenges

** "CDC Dental Infection Control Guidelines Status Report," presented by a representative of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

** "Dentistry's Dark Winter," a dramatic representation of how the dental profession can respond to catastrophic events

** One-hour concurrent sessions include Central Sterilization/Steri-centers; Office-based strategies for designing infection control workspace in dental offices; and Tips and tools on how to select a healthcare physician to manage postexposure incidents.

A Special Preconference for Educators session is planned for Thursday, June 10. It opens with a hands-on presentation of a take-home infection control kit designed to increase effectiveness of training in the classroom and dental practice. Point-counterpoint discussions on the topics of school strategies for purchasing instruments and infection control products; vaccination schemes; mandatory infection control and safety training to large groups; maintaining staff, faculty and student records; and more will be held in a town hall-style meeting. Speakers from academia, private consulting and the military will be leading these discussions.

The annual conference also features technical exhibits spotlighting infection control and safety offerings from 25 OSAP member companies and poster session that allows attendees to review new research and speak with members of the scientific community.

Special interest groups of educators, consultants, biological monitoring services, central sterilization personnel, and others will meet on Sunday, June 13, to discuss issues specific to their work situations.

On Friday, June 11, OSAP will hold its popular auction that encourages tax-deductible shopping for vacation packages, gourmet gift baskets, dental office supplies, and other prizes donated by its members. All proceeds from the auction help support the OSAP goal of safe dental care for people everywhere.

For more information on OSAP or to register for the annual OSAP 2004 meeting visit www.osap.org or contact the OSAP central office at (800) 298-0SAP (6727).