Survey confirms patients trust dental safety, but communication can improve
New research reveals that patients place a high value on proper infection control in the dental office — and even welcome conversations to learn more about it. The news comes just in time for September’s Dental Infection Control Awareness Month.
A recent survey of more than 1,000 people found that cleaning and safety in the dental office is a top priority for patients. According to the survey, nearly all patients (98%) said it’s important that their dental office properly clean tools before they are reused on the next patient. They also said it’s important that the treatment area is properly cleaned.
Fortunately, a large majority of patients reported feeling trust and comfort with their dental office — 76% said they felt comfortable visiting the dentist, and 94% felt confident their office follows proper cleaning procedures. Dental offices can build on this high trust to further assure patients.
Safety concerns and conversations
More than half of all patients surveyed (57%) said they were concerned about germs at the dental office. Only about 1 in 4 patients said their office has ever talked to them about how it keeps the treatment area clean and safe. However, most patients would like someone at their dental office to talk about it with them.
Opportunities for dental practices
By proactively communicating how the office ensures patient safety, dental teams can further solidify their patient relationships.
Dental offices can take simple steps, like displaying staff certifications or training certificates, bringing more visibility to safety practices, and enhancing communications to foster conversations.
To learn more and get practical tips, download the guide.
Resources for your team
Support your team with these infection control resources and educational opportunities.
- AskADS, an online chat that gives you instant answers to your infection control questions
- Dental Infection Prevention and Control Certificate, an online course for anyone in dentistry
- Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control, an advanced certification for dental clinicians and educators
- Dental Infection Control Awareness Month resources
For more information about infection control certificates and certifications for your team, contact us at [email protected].
About the survey
The survey was conducted in August 2025 by Big Village Surveys, an online consumer omnibus survey. More than 1,000 adults responded, of which 63% reported visiting the dentist within the last 12 months. Respondents represented a variety of demographics, including age (18-65+), location, education, employment status, marital status, household income, gender, race, religion and ethnicity. This survey sample size is sufficient to generalize the results to the U.S. adult population.