--- title: Using Sharpie® to Increase Safety in Local Anesthesia during COVID – Dr. Bernadette Alvear Fa description: This mixed media video for a preclinical dental anesthesia course shows a one-handed capping technique for an anesthetic syringe needle. image: https://pages.ada.org/hubfs/Covid%20Monograph/CM_Fa_square.jpg --- [![American Dental Association](https://pages.ada.org/hs-fs/hubfs/101520_ADA_logo.jpg?width=50&height=50&name=101520_ADA_logo.jpg) ](https://www.ada.org) [![American Dental Association](https://pages.ada.org/hs-fs/hubfs/101520_ADA_logo.jpg?width=50&height=50&name=101520_ADA_logo.jpg) ](https://www.ada.org) ** ## In It Together A community sourced archive, documenting COVID-19’s impact on dentistry ***Sponsored by [Patterson Dental](https://www.pattersondental.com/)*** #### Many in the dental community have been affected by COVID-19 and want to share their stories. As a result, the ADA is launching the JADA+ COVID-19 Monograph—a digital collection of stories, reflections, and accounts from any perspective, in any format, including articles, essays, podcasts, videos, graphics, and photos—that is open to all contributors. [Submit your COVID-19 story here.](https://pages.ada.org/jada-plus-monograph-submissions) Stories by Region [Outside the US ](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/outside-the-us) --- # Using Sharpie® to Increase Safety in Local Anesthesia during COVID – Dr. Bernadette Alvear Fa Purpose Typically, students have faculty and supplies at their fingertips to learn how to properly manage local anesthesia armamentarium. Like many institutions during the pandemic, changes to traditional pedagogy were developed. Our community needed to be more innovative to ensure concepts were disseminated accordingly. A video emphasizing safe one-handed uncapping technique was created to allow students a chance to practice safely at home using a simple tool; a Sharpie® marker. Methods The preclinical anesthesia course was administered in late spring to first year dental (142) and hygiene (20) students. A mixed media video exhibiting text instruction, audio, and live capture demonstrated one-handed technique utilizing a Sharpie® cap. Additional footage further instructs clinical application for uncapping and recapping an anesthetic syringe needle. The video ends with a reminder that two-handed uncapping/recapping technique is inappropriate.  Videos were uploaded onto a Canvas site, the institution’s intranet program for curriculum courses. Students viewed videos within two to three weeks of publishing onto Canvas® to help and prepare for hands-on session. Upon returning to hands-on learning, students were assessed by faculty on local anesthesia armamentarium; safety techniques of capping, assembly, disassembly, and handling armamentarium. A rubric was used with criteria established as excellent (no error), clinically acceptable (error), or clinically unacceptable (critical error). The study focused on safe capping technique measures. [![CM_Fa_1](https://pages.ada.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Covid%20Monograph/CM_Fa_1.jpg?width=1200&name=CM_Fa_1.jpg)](https://lectures.pacific.edu/Mediasite/Play/0e11e4353ec74fc0856474d3efaf32cd1d) [Click to watch video](https://lectures.pacific.edu/Mediasite/Play/0e11e4353ec74fc0856474d3efaf32cd1d) Results Canvas reported 100% student participation of viewing the published video. Students were evaluated for no errors, error, or critical errors. Of the 142 dental students, 135 (95%) had no error, three (2%) had error, and four (3%) had critical error. Of the 20 dental hygiene students, nineteen (95%) had no error, one (5%) had error, and zero (0%) had critical error. Conclusion Providing a mixed media video and utilizing a convenient tool may guide students towards safer practice and clinical protocols. __________ Bios: Bernadette Alvear Fa, DDS - Associate Professor with the Dept of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, Director of Local Anesthesia Curriculum, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry  Mustafa Radif, Assistant Professor, Dept of Periodontics, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry  Bina Surti, Associate Professor with the Dept of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry  Homayon Asadi, Chair - Dept of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, Associate Professor - Dept of Biomedical Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry   Topics: [Practitioners](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/practitioners), [Multimedia](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/multimedia), [Clinical Observations](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/clinical-observations), [Region–West](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/region-west) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ### Stories by type - [Practitioners (58)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/practitioners) - [Personal Essay (35)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/personal-essay) - [Region–Northeast (23)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/region-northeast) - [Region–West (22)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/region-west) - [Clinical Observations (17)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/clinical-observations) - [Region–South (16)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/region-south) - [Region–Midwest (12)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/region-midwest) - [Art and Photography (10)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/art-and-photography) - [Multimedia (8)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/multimedia) - [Students (8)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/students) - [Creative writing (6)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/creative-writing) - [Patients (4)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/patients) - [Region–Outside the US (3)](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/tag/region-outside-the-us) [See all](https://pages.ada.org/en/covidmonograph/using-sharpie-to-increase-safety-in-local-anesthesia-during-covid-dr.-bernadette-alvear-fa#) ### Most Viewed Stories ***Sponsored by: [![CM_Sponsor_Patterson_2](https://pages.ada.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Covid%20Monograph/CM_Sponsor_Patterson_2.png?width=250&name=CM_Sponsor_Patterson_2.png)](https://www.pattersondental.com/)***   ### Subscribe for updates [![JADA+_logo_rev](https://pages.ada.org/hs-fs/hubfs/JADA+_logo_rev.png?width=200&height=80&name=JADA+_logo_rev.png "JADA+_logo_rev")](https://pages.ada.org/) Contact us at [JADA@ada.org](mailto:JADA@ada.org) Visit the [ADA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Center for Dentists](https://success.ada.org/en/practice-management/patients/infectious-diseases-2019-novel-coronavirus?utm_source=hspage&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=CovidMonograph)   --- *The JADA+ COVID-19 Monograph intends no endorsement of the content of the entries, or the views or opinions of the authors that are expressed therein. 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