Have you ever assumed other dentists do a procedure the same way as you only to realize you were VERY wrong? Same. Picture this: Mid-NSRCT Tooth #12, I ask my assistant for the ‘Sodium Hypochlorite’..she looks at me very confused. She asks, “What is that?” I say, “The irrigant to clean the canals…*mouthing* B-L-E-A-C-H.” She shoots back a horrified look and I realize she has no idea what I’m talking about. So I step aside and ask her, “What did the other dentist use to flush the canals?” “Oh, just water,” she says. “Just WATER?!” I screech. Yep, you read that right. Not only did the other dentist do things different from me, but wasn’t even following clinically acceptable guidelines. So, long story short, NEVER assume everyone follows the same SOPs. ALWAYS tell your assistants exactly what you need and your protocol before a procedure! Because we all know what happens when we assume…!
