Under universal/standard precautions, OSHA deems that all teeth must be assumed to be potentially infectious. As such, they must be handled safely, to prevent the potential for occupational transmission of disease to employees who come into contact with them. However,…
All surface disinfectants, i.e. antimicrobials, sold in the United States are regulated under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) because antimicrobials are in fact pesticides. Under FIFRA, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for regulating,…
Documented Infection Transmission from DUWLs In April 2016, twenty pediatric dental patients had to be hospitalized due to infection transmission of Mycobacterium abscessus from contaminated dental unit water used during pulpotomies. And from March-August 2016, 58 pediatric patients became infected…
Effective January 18, 2017, powdered surgeon’s gloves, powdered patient examination gloves, and absorbable powder for lubricating a surgeon’s glove will be banned from use in the United States. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), these devices “present an…
Cold sterilants are chemical solutions used for the purpose of destroying all forms of microbial life including bacterial spores and are used to process heat-sensitive critical and semi-critical dental instruments for reuse. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible…
Hand hygiene in a dental office is critical to preventing disease transmission, and must be performed frequently throughout the day. Dental healthcare personnel must wash their hands with plain soap and water at the start and end of each workday,…
The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) recently announced that International Infection Prevention Week is scheduled for October 16-22, 2016. The goal of the initiative is to raise awareness and to promote infection control and prevention in…
To coincide with World Hand Hygiene Day on May 5th, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) introduced a new campaign called Clean Hands Count to promote hand hygiene in healthcare settings. The aim of the new campaign…
One factor commonly overlooked in choosing a surface disinfectant is the overall safety of the product to the environment and to staff members who are exposed to it daily over many years. Stronger, i.e. more toxic, disinfectants are not necessarily…
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report on April 8th confirming the transmission of Mycobacterium abscessus among 20 pediatric dental patients from contaminated dental unit waterlines (DUWLs). The outbreak was caused by biofilm-contaminated water in…
