Risk Assessment
Ensuring safety with therapy dogs
Why is a Risk Assessment essential?
Incorporating therapy dogs into dental practices requires careful planning to ensure the safety of patients, staff, and the therapy dog. A comprehensive risk assessment helps identify potential challenges and provides strategies to mitigate them, creating a safe and effective environment for everyone.
What a Risk Assessment covers
The process evaluates the suitability of your dental practice for therapy dog integration. It includes an assessment of the clinic layout, patient flow, and specific patient needs. The temperament and training of the therapy dog are thoroughly reviewed to ensure they can handle the unique challenges of a clinical setting. Hygiene protocols are also addressed to meet health and safety standards, ensuring the presence of the dog does not compromise infection control.
Steps to conduct a Risk Assessment
The risk assessment starts with a walkthrough of your dental practice, identifying areas where the therapy dog may interact with patients or staff. Any potential risks, such as confined spaces, hazardous materials, or patient allergies, are documented. The therapy dog’s behavior and readiness are observed in real-world scenarios to ensure they can remain calm and focused in a busy environment.
Based on the findings, a customized action plan is developed to address identified risks. This plan includes recommendations for practice adjustments, additional training for the therapy dog, and guidelines for staff and patient interactions. Regular reviews are scheduled to ensure ongoing compliance and address new challenges as they arise.
Support and resources
To help you through this process, we provide detailed templates and guides tailored to therapy dog integration in dental practices. Our team of experts is available to consult and ensure all necessary precautions are in place, giving you peace of mind as you incorporate therapy dogs into your care routine.