According to the CDC, 1.2 million individuals are living with HIV, and about 50,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S.1 Although the incidence of HIV is greatly reduced, for an infection that can be prevented, rates are still unacceptably high. The focus should be on prevention, early identification, and linkage and retention to primary care, which, by definition, includes oral health services. The dental team continues to be a vital component in each of these areas. Although HIV positive individuals undergoing medical treatment pose a significantly reduced risk for disease transmission, given the numbers of untreated HIV infected, providers of dental care must continue to be vigilant with respect to their preventative infection control measures. This article presents clinical considerations that need to be utilized while treating the AIDS patient.
Key words: Dental practice, HIV patients, infections.