Routine HIV testing in dental practice: can we cross the Rubicon?
The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines recommend routine HIV screening for a large segment of the population, given that the individual understands that an HIV test will be performed unless he or she declines testing (opt-out testing). The CDC recommendation calls for the elimination of formalized requirements for written consent and pretest counseling to encourage more Americans to voluntarily accept testing. Knowledge of HIV infection can increase early access to care and treatment and reduce further transmission. A rapid non-invasive test for HIV infection (OraQuick Advance) from oral fluid has recently become available. It offers two distinct advantages: 1) results are available within twenty minutes, thereby eliminating a long waiting period; and 2) it has high sensitivity and specificity comparable to blood testing. A preliminary positive test result must be confirmed with a Western Blot by an outside laboratory or physician. Important ethical and legal issues must be resolved before the successful implementation of HIV testing in the dental setting. An educational emphasis on broader coverage of HIV testing is also needed within the dental school curriculum. The integration of HIV testing into dental practice is discussed as well. A policy of screening patients in dental offices will contribute to a major advance in public health.
Vernillo
Anthony T
AT
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Radiology, and Medicine, New York University College of Dentistry, 345 East 24th Street/Room 838 Schwartz, New York, NY 10010-4086, USA. atv1@nyu.edu
Caplan
Arthur L
AL
D003479:Curriculum; D003945:Diagnosis, Oral / Q000193:education* / Q000941:ethics; D004497:Education, Dental; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000276:immunology; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
D015483:HIV Antibodies