Q. What about dental procedures? I understand there have been several cases of extraction of the wrong teeth.
A. The American Dental Association (ADA) has been very supportive of efforts to eliminate wrong site surgery, including wrong dental extractions. However, the ADA acknowledges that there does not appear to be a practical or reliable method to actually mark the teeth that are intended for extraction. Therefore, dental procedures will be considered exempt from the site marking requirement. In lieu of directly marking the teeth, the ADA recommends—and the Joint Commission concurs with—the following:
- Review the dental record including the medical history, laboratory findings, appropriate charts and dental radiographs. Indicate the tooth number(s) or mark the tooth site or surgical site on the diagram or radiograph to be included as part of the patient record.
- Ensure that radiographs are properly oriented and visually confirm that the correct teeth or tissues have been charted.
- Conduct a "time out" to verify patient, tooth and procedure with assistant present at the time of the extraction (two person rule).