Primary care physicians continue to play an important role in preventing HIV transmission by targeting messages to their high-risk patients. The risk of HIV transmission cannot be eliminated entirely; however, clinicians have a variety of prevention interventions at their disposal. Behavioral and therapeutic interventions offered in a client-centered environment have the greatest chance of success. Patients can benefit from individualized prevention plans that decrease risk by treating drug addiction and by modifying sexual and drug-taking behaviors. The risk of HIV infection in health care workers can be reduced by strict adherence to universal precautions and the use of postexposure antiretroviral therapy.
Communication rests at the core of any good dentist/patient/third-party payer relationship and is more effective when everyone understands their roles. The dentist uses his or her clinical judgment to determine the best treatment for the patient and establishes a fee for each service rendered. The patient is expected to be at the office to receive services that are scheduled according to the treatment plan, and has financial responsibility for payment. Payments may be made directly to the dentist, or with assistance from the third-party payer, if any. The thirdparty payer, when there is one, determines the payment it will make, based on the services reported on a claim and the coverage provisions (e.g., limitations and exclusions) of the dental benefit plan purchased by the patient’s employer. The third-party payer does not, however, determine the treatment.
