NEWS AIDS policy adopted by ADA House of Delegates

The 1987 ADA House of Delegates adopted a resolution affirming that AIDS is a communicable, infectious disease. However, the House ex- pressed its opinion that it is inap- propriate to treat communicable, infectious diseases as a handicap

UPDATE ON AIDS

case, the dent ist 's professional

AIDS covered by communicable disease laws

A number of states including Col orado, Hawaii, Illinois, North Carolina and Texas have new laws that brine AIDS within the scope of existinc statutes for the prevention and control of diseases that pose a hazard to the

under state antidiscrimination laws. The House also reasoned that a

sound approach to the treatment of in fect ious pat ients requires an assessment of the patient's condition based on reasonable and informed medical judgments. Special accommo- dations may be required for some oatients with HIV infection. Informed and sensitive referrals to environments equipped to service medically compro- mised patients may be advisable in some instances. Thus, laws which mandate treatment without regard to the circumstances of each individual

Health hazards hotline established

The David B. Kriser Dental Center at New York University has established a Health Hazards Hotline for dentistry. Through this hotline, dentists will receive individual advice and/or infor- mation regarding any aspect of en- vironmental protection or potential health hazards as related to dentistry. A few such areas include: disinfection, ster i l izat ion, infect ious diseases, precautions regarding AIDS, trace anesthetic gases, mercury toxicity, and radiation hazards. Sponsored by the Wachman Institute for Human En- vironmental Life Protection at the Kriser Dental Center, the service is of- feted to all dentists nationwide at no charge by calling (212) 998-9890, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

1988 ABE Examination Schedule Oral Examinations

April 19-20 Anaheim, California November 4-5 Chicago

Written Examination November 3 Chicago

judgment and the patient's well-being are inappropriate and should be opposed.

The statement concludes that cur- rent scientif ic and epidemiologic evidence indicates there is little risk of transmission of infectious diseases through dental treatment if rec- ommended infection control proce- dures are routinely followed. Patients with HIV infection may usually be treated in private dental offices without risk to employees and other patients when appropriate infection control pro- cedures are employed.

Loan Repayment Plan Approved by President

On Dec. 1, 1987, President Reagan signed legislation (now Public Law 100-177) which reauthorizes the Na- tional Health Service Corps (NHSC) for three years and creates a NHSC Loan Repayment Program for dental and medical students who agree to work in underserved areas. The NHSC will pay up to $20,000 a year for educational loans to health professions students agreeing to serve at least two years after graduat ion in government- designated manpower shortage areas. The law also provides for the training of other health workers, if needed by the Corps, including physician assistants, expanded function dental auxiliaries and nurse practitioners.

The new law also amends the 1986 health practitioner data bank legisla- tion to make it more difficult for plain- tiff's attorneys to get information from the data bank and to protect the gov- ernment and its contractor against suits from operation of the bank. The data bank was scheduled to start col- lecting information Nov. 14 on adverse actions against health practitiners but has been delayed because of political and financial problems.

public health. Such laws have tradi- tionally allowed public health officials to use rather draconian measures to safeguard the public, including mar'- datory testing and treatment of victims and, sometimes, quarantine. Many of the 1987 measures soften these features by strengthening due process requirements and adding strict con. fidentiality provisions. In fact, concert has been expressed in some states that confidentiality barriers are so higr' the diagnosing physician may be pre- vented from sharing patient informa tion with other treating professionals.

ABE announces new Diplomates

Congratulations to the followin9 members who were certified by the American Board of Endodontics Fi November 1987.

Joseph E. Assad Michael D. Benner Gary B. Carr Raymond R. Copeland Jerome C. Donnelly Mahmoud E. El Deeb David A. Goodwin Jeffrey W. Hutter Martin D. Levin Carbra J. McDonnell, III Norman A. Smith, Jr. Peter M. Spradling Christopher S. Wenckus

Study Clubs/State Affiliate News

The I l l inois Association of En. dodontists elected the following new officers for 1988: Dr. Darmon Kuntz. President; Dr. Robert Zelikow, Vice President; Dr. Kevin T. King, Secretary and Dr. Taisa Szeremeta-Browar Treasurer. These officers were electec by the membership at their annua meeting held Oct. 27, 1987.

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