CARNAL NATION

The prospect of going to the dentist can lead to quite a bit of trepidation. A newly funded program in New York City may add to the worry, or it might elicit some sighs of relief. For years, public health officials have been calling for HIV tests to be conducted at the dental office since more Americans (1 in 10) visit their dentist each year than their physician. With as many as one quarter of HIV-positive people not knowing their status, the dentist's chair may become one of the most effective and convenient venues for HIV testing.

Dr. Catrise Austin has been conducting rapid HIV tests in her New York clinic, VIP Smiles, since July. "The topic of HIV can be uncomfortable for some, so we decided we would talk about it with patients in a matter-of-fact way, the way we talk about cavities and gum disease," she said. Using the OraQuick Advance Rapid Antibody Test, she swabs her patient's upper and lower gums at the start of the appointment and then inserts the device into a developing solution. Results are available in 20 minutes. Since implementing the testing, Dr. Austin has performed approximately 100 tests.

Given the importance of reaching the nearly 300,000 HIV-posiitive Americans who don't even know they have the virus that causes AIDS, New York City has funded pilot dental HIV testing programs at Metropolitan Hospital, Harlem Hospital, and Jacobi Medical Center, as well as small community dental clinics.

Open wide and say "Ahhh!" This won't hurt a bit.