Infection Control

After completing this course you’ll be able to :

1. Distinguish between OSHA requirements and acceptable infection control practices recommended by American Dental Association and CDC.
2. Define important terms associated with infection control such as: bloodborne pathogens, exposure incident, occupational exposure, one-hand technique, other potentially infectious materials, parenteral, universal precautions, work practice controls, etc.
3. List engineering and work practice controls that should be implemented to minimize employee exposure.
4. List 3 requirements for containers used for sharps disposal.
5. Describe the requirements of “appropriate” personal protective equipment.
6. List the duties of an employer to ensure the safety of employees with respect to personal protective equipment, gloves and masks and contaminated laundry.
7. Discuss the duties of an employer to make available the hepatitis B vaccine to employees.
8. Enumerate the steps that an employer should take if an employee declines hepatitis B vaccination.
9. Develop a post-exposure evaluation plan listing necessary elements and steps that an employer should take.
10. List at least 8 microorganisms that dental patients and DHCWs may be exposed to, and describe the chain of infection outlining 3 essential conditions.
11. Discuss the risks and incidence of HBV and HIV in dentistry.
12. Define universal precautions and list body fluids to which universal precautions apply and those to which they do not apply.
13. Discuss precautions that DHCWs should take for various body fluids.
14. Describe 3 steps DHCWs should take to minimize the risk of nosocomial transmission of bloodborne pathogens.
15. Develop 5 guidelines in the selection of gloves.
16. Discuss 7 universal precautions for DHCWs to prevent transmission of HIV.
17. Describe at least 2 additional precautions a health-care worker should take while performing invasive procedures.
18. Describe 4 precautions for dentistry to prevent transmission of blood-borne pathogens.
19. List the requirements for protective attire and barrier techniques.
20. Differentiate between critical, semicritical and noncritical dental instruments for sterilization or disinfection.
21. Summarize 4 sterilization and disinfection methods for dental instruments and materials.
22. Describe reprocessing methods for equipment used in a dental office using sterilization, high, intermediate and low-level disinfection.
23. Describe cleaning and disinfection methods for environmental surfaces, dental laboratory, handpieces, antiretraction valves and other intraoral dental devices.
24. Describe proper handling methods for single-use disposable instruments, biopsy specimens, extracted teeth and waste materials.
25. Discuss environmental considerations for HIV infection.
26. Formulate 6 overall recommendations for DHCWs to minimize the risk of HIV or HBV transmission.