Do Not Reuse Disposable Items – Dental Infection Control

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends, and many state dental boards require, that single-use, or disposable, devices be used on one patient only and then discarded. Single-use items in dentistry are usually not heat-tolerant and oftentimes cannot be reliably cleaned. Such items include syringe needles prophylaxis angles, cups, and brushes, tips for high-speed evacuators, saliva ejectors, and air/water syringe tips.

Items labeled as single-use or disposable should be disposed of appropriately after each use. Contaminated needles must be disposed as sharps waste in approved sharps containers. Other non-sharp, disposable items can be disposed in the regular trash. Always consult with manufacture’s instructions or label for determining whether or not a device is disposable.

Since 1992, OSHA Review, Inc. has provided dental professionals with comprehensive programs to support regulatory compliance and infection control. We are a registered dental continuing education provider in the state of California, specializing in Dental Practice Act, infection control, and OSHA training.