THE READERS' CORNER

Topics are gloves and reception room materials.

1. Are you and your staff currently wearing gloves in the operatory? If not, why not? If not, what is your handwashing technique?

Of the orthodontists who responded, 89% reported that they were currently wearing gloves. The vast majority said both doctor and staff wore gloves, but in a few offices the doctor still worked barehanded. Those not routinely wearing gloves gave a variety of reasons, including:

"We can't do good work at any reasonable speed."

"We wanted to but have not gotten around to trying them."

"I don't think that the great majority of procedures present any risk. We wear gloves for patients with poor oral hygiene, cold sores, coughing and sneezing, etc."

"We kept catching them on appliances and puncturing holes in them."

Practices not using gloves reported that their handwashing technique consisted mainly of using a germicidal soap and hot water after every patient.

Please list your glove material, brand, source.

Latex was the overwhelming favorite, mentioned by more than 95% of the respondents who used gloves. Travenol was the brand most commonly mentioned, with 25% of the responses. Ansell Surgical, Latex Microtouch, Surgikos, and Natraflex each accounted for about 10% of the replies, and the remainder were distributed among many brands. Many offices complained about the difficulty of obtaining more than a few boxes of gloves at a time, and were therefore ordering from a variety of sources to ensure an adequate stock.

How often do you change gloves?

There was a considerable diversity of opinion on this question. About one-quarter of the offices reported changing gloves after each patient, but nearly as many said they changed after every two or three patients. Other responses included "every 30 minutes", "20 times a day", "frequently as needed", and "when sticky or penetrated".

How long did it take you to get used to gloves?

The two most common responses were "still not used to them" and "about two weeks". Few practices said it took longer than four to six weeks to adjust to wearing gloves.

Do patients complain about the gloves?

About 70% of the readers reported that their patients had not complained. For the other 30%, the most common complaint was that some children did not like the taste and smell of gloves.

Do you explain to patients why you and your staff wear gloves?

Just over half of the offices routinely explained to their patients why they wore gloves; many of the others did so only if asked.

Has wearing gloves had any adverse effects on your hands?

Eighty percent of the respondents felt that wearing gloves had no adverse effects, and many of those reported beneficial effects including reduced dryness and chapping. Four mild cases of dermatitis were reported, but in two of those cases the problem was eliminated by switching brands of gloves.

Other general comments included:

"It sure has helped reduce the chapping and dry hands in our cold climate, but I can't wait for a glove with a reduced-friction palm to allow for smoother ligature plier twisting."

"There are some changes in procedures necessitated by wearing gloves. I can no longer hold auxiliaries in the palm of my hand, and it is difficult to shape an archwire between thumb and forefinger. Also, when gloves are removed, the powder on my hands prevents my shaking hands with patients when saying goodbye. These are, however, minor inconveniences for the safety factor gained."

"Adults and parents feel strongly progloves. We remove gloves, wash hands, and reglove in view of the patients."

2. What educational, recreational, and promotional materials or equipment do you keep in your reception room?

Every practitioner reported providing some reading material in the reception room. The average number of magazines was nine, with a range from four to 17. The most popular magazine was Sports Illustrated, just ahead of People. Next were Seventeen, Time, and Newsweek. Also commonly mentioned were (in descending order of popularity) National Geographic, Life, American Health, Better Homes and Gardens, and Good Housekeeping. There were more than 120 magazines mentioned in all.

Several readers said they provided local newspapers, and many kept regional or city magazines on hand. In a number of cases, there was a core group of popular magazines, supplemented by others that reflected an interest (perhaps the orthodontist's) in areas such as hunting, automobiles, and architecture. Only a few of the offices kept dental journals in their reception rooms.

About one-quarter of the respondents provided books, with Change Your Smile the most popular, followed by the Bible and a variety of cookbooks. A considerable number of the offices kept comics and activity books for young children.

Nearly 80% of the readers reported having educational brochures and patient pictures and clippings in their reception rooms or on-deck areas. About one-third of the offices had either a staff photo album or staff recognition plaques on display. One-third said they provided coffee or tea for their patients.

Other items mentioned:

"We have a box of stationery and envelopes available for writing letters while waiting. Also, we have blank paper for copying down recipes."

"We have a book showing some of our treated cases before and after."

"We have an area for busy parents to sit and work. This area is equipped with local telephones and telephone books."

JCO wishes to thank the following contributors to this month's column:

Dr. Clifford L. Anzilotti, Wilmington, DE

Dr. Frank R. Bailey, Salem, OH

Drs. Raymond T. Bedette and Robert DeWitt, Lewiston, ME

Dr. Jane A. Bentz, La Crosse, WI

Dr. John D. Block, San Bruno, CA

Dr. Eugene C. Brown, Jr., Jackson, MS

Dr. John F. Buzatto, Bridgeville, PA

Dr. Lewis P. Chapman, Montgomery, AL

Dr. Dean A. Christensen, Layton, UT

Drs. George Fraseur and Brad Jones, Spencer, IA

Dr. Norman W. Garn, Chicago, IL

Dr. Rodney F. Golden, College Park, MD

Dr. Joe A. Harkins, Lubbock, TX

Dr. John F. Harrington, South Bend, IN

Dr. John D. Jacob, Worthington, OH

Dr. Jene F. Jordan, Boone, NC

Dr. Arthur L. Kobal, Thousand Oaks, CA

Dr. John T. Krull, Indianapolis, IN

Dr. G.K. Magnusson, Rapid City, SD

Dr. Lee A. Mahimann, Rosenberg,

Dr. David E. Massignan, Bay City, MI

Dr. J.M. McCanlies, Durango, CO

Dr. Edward C. McNulty, New York, NY

Dr. Jerry Merritt, San Antonio, TX

Drs. Seymour S. Miller and Sheldon Dorfman, Montreal, Quebec

Dr. Orrin D. Mitchell, Jacksonville, FL

Dr. George E. Muehlebach, Kansas City, MO

Dr. James B. Newman, Greenville, SC

Drs. Ronald Parker and Michael Jacobsen, Victorville, CA

Dr. Joseph Pomerantz, Teaneck, NJ

Dr. Lawrence N. Rouff, Binghamton, NY

Drs. Robert B. Schlamer and Jon J. Sisulak, Franklin, WI

Dr. Michael W. Scott, Longview, TX

Dr. Gerald E. Smith, Spokane, WA

Dr. James L. Souers, Three Rivers, MI

Dr. Thomas M. Stark, Ames, IA

Dr. Royce G. Thomas, Rolla, MO

Dr. C. Dwayne Trammell, Carrollton, TX

Dr. George B. Vogelei, Freeport, IL

Dr. Stanley H. Waese, Willowdale, Ontario

Dr. Kevin C. Walde, Washington, MO

Dr. David H. Werking, Greeley, CO

Dr. Steven Wernick, Bristol, CT