Employment considerations of AIDS in dental institutions

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has become one of the most pressing public health issues of this decade. As a member of the health care team, dental professionals are increasingly confronted with the responsibilities of treating AIDS victims, preventing the transmission of HIV and other infectious agents, and being nondiscriminatory employers. Guidelines are currently available to help the dental profession in these first two responsibilities. However, policies governing the employment of health care workers with AIDS have not been established firmly. Therefore, this article focuses on the AIDS employment issue facing dental practitioners, administrators, and educators today. Background information on the current medical status, transmission, epidemiology, and populations-at-risk is reviewed. Legal considerations of AIDS in the work place are addressed as to HIV testing, employee rights to gain and/or retain employment, economic considerations, and confidentiality issues.