The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends, and many state dental boards require, disposable impervious barriers, such as such as plastic wrap, foil, bags, or other moisture-impervious materials, to be used on clinical contact surfaces and equipment that may be…
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all healthcare professionals (HCP) get vaccinated annually against influenza (flu). Each year in the US, on average, 36,000 people die and more than 200,000 are hospitalized from flu-related complications. Anyone can get…
Proper hand hygiene is considered to be the single most important measure for preventing pathogen transmission in healthcare settings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends two hand hygiene methods in healthcare settings: Alcohol-based hand sanitizer (60-95% ethanol): Put…
In July 2017, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) new ruletook effect which requires dental offices to reduce the discharge of mercury and other metals from dental offices down the sewer drain to publically owned treatment works (POTWs). One of the…
In conjunction with the onset of flu season, in December 2017, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a feature article to remind people to wash their hands often to protect themselves and their friends and families…
According to the Dental Board of California (DBC) and the Dental Hygiene Committee of California (DHCC), within the last couple of years, some of the continuing education (CE) providers offering the mandatory courses in Infection Control (IC) and the Dental…
Safe parenteral injection practices are intended to prevent transmission of infectious diseases between one patient and another, or between a patient and dental personnel during preparation and injection of medications. Dental personnel most frequently perform parenteral injections when administering local…
Reusable contaminated protective attire must be laundered in accordance with Cal/OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. Cal/OSHA defines “contaminated laundry” to be “laundry which has been soiled with blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) or may contain sharps”. Employees may NOT…
The Organization for Safety and Asepsis (OSAP) is holding its annual Dental Infection Control Awareness Month (DICAM) during the entire month of September. OSAP’s goal during this campaign is to “to build patient trust, safety, awareness and distribute education of…
The Dental Board of California’s Infection Control Regulation (California Code of Regulations, Title 16, Section 1005. Minimum Standards for Infection Control) requires that each dental office in California must maintain a written infection control protocol onsite which states the office’s…
