Time to prepare for Dental Infection Control Awareness Month, presented by ADS

The Association for Dental Safety (ADS), formerly OSAP, continues to bring top notch content that supports the continual needs of the dental community.

September is Dental Infection Control Awareness Month (DICAM), and ADS will deliver weekly programs focusing on infection prevention. They will also provide ideas and content for social media and marketing.

Whenever you have a question pertaining to infection control, ADS provides a platform to submit your questions and receive guidance with their new Ask ADS assistant. Now is the time to improve your standards for your practice, your patients, and yourself.

Jackie Sanders, Chief Editor, RDH magazine

The Association for Dental Safety (ADS) prepares for the launch of Dental Infection Control Awareness Month (DICAM), which begins September 1. DICAM celebrates the ongoing commitment of oral health-care professionals to providing the safest dental visits for both patients and team members.

The theme for 2025 is "Embracing a culture of safety: Empowering patients and the dental team." Each week will spotlight a specific infection prevention topic:

• Week 1: Hand hygiene (September 1–5)
• Week 2: Dental unit waterlines (September 8–12)
• Week 3: Instrument reprocessing (September 15–19)
• Week 4: Personal protective equipment (September 22–26)

ADS created a Social Media and Marketing Toolkit with ready-to-use graphics and messaging. The oral health-care community can participate by posting infection prevention and control best practices, success stories, or selfies on social media, and they can join the conversation using the hashtag #DICAM25.

A new addition to DICAM this year is Ask ADS, an AI-powered assistant and the ultimate knowledge source for ADS and DICAM. In addition to delivering instant, expert answers in a user's native language, Ask ADS can help oral health-care professionals create customized policies, procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and checklists tailored to their dental practice. Send a question or request, and receive immediate practice guidance to stay on top of infection prevention best practices.

“As we prepare for Dental Infection Control Awareness Month, I encourage everyone in the oral health-care community to join us in elevating the standards of safety,” said Michelle Lee, CPC, executive director of ADS. “DICAM is a unique opportunity to share valuable resources, spotlight best practices, and demonstrate our collective commitment to infection prevention and control. By participating and sharing knowledge, we empower both our teams and patients to experience the highest level of care.”

The toolkit for #DICAM25 is available on the ADS website and includes patient-facing resources such as a printable flyer and brochure, a customizable patient letter, and scripts for dental staff. The Infection Prevention and Safety Resource Toolkit includes checklists, whitepapers, and best practices. Visit MyADS.org/DICAM to learn more and try Ask ADS.