Evolve Chapter 21 Quiz Review (2026)

What are plastic-handled brushes classified as?

Semicritical patient care items.

During the seven steps of instrument processing, prior to what does sterilization take place?

Storage

What is suitable for cleaning with an EPA-registered intermediate-level or low-level disinfectant?

Noncritical Interments

What PPEs must always be used when processing instruments?

Utility gloves, a mask, eyewear, and protective clothing.

When should precautions be taken to avoid personal exposure to microorganism by minimizing handling of loose contaminated instruments during transport to the instrument-processing area?

When transporting and processing contaminated patient carte items.

What should the ideal instrument-processing area be dedicated only to?

Instrument processing

What does the flow of instrument proceeing look like?

Single loop; dirty → clean → sterile → storage

What is the purpose of an instrument holding solution?

Prevent the drying of blood and debris on interments.

What is not suitable for use in a steam autoclave because steam cannot penetrate it?

A solid closed metal tray.

How does an ultrasonic cleaner work?

By using sound waves, which cause cavitation and implosion.

What should an ultrasonic cleaner solution be specially formulated for?

Only the ultrasonic cleaner.

How many times should an ultrasonic cleaner be cleaned and disinfected?

At least once a day.

What should happen at the completion of the cleaning cycle of an ultrasonic cleaning unit?

Rinse the instruments with clear water.

Why do instruments need to be bagged before sterilizitaion?

To protect them from becoming contaminated after sterilization.

What is flash sterilization?

A method for sterilizing unwrapped patient care items for immediate use.

In the sterilization process, a process indicated is an exmaple of what?

External chemical monitoring

How are process indicators that change color useful?

They identify instruments packs that have been exposed to a certain temperature.

What is the best way to determine whether sterilziaiton has occured?

Use biologic monitors.

Sterilization destroys all microbial forms, what does it include?

Bacterial spores

What must happen to all reusable instruments that contact the patient’s blood, saliva, or mucous membranes?

They should be heat sterilized.

How are microorganism in a steam sterilizer killed?

By heat.

What is the correct order of cycles in a steam sterilzier?

Heat-up, sterilizing, depressurization, and drying.

What is a major advantage of the chemical vapor sterilizer?

It does not rust, dull, or corrode dry meta instruments.

What is essential when processing in chemical vapor sterilization?

Drying instruments to prevent rusting.

What is the type of sterilization used in the dental office requires the highest temperature?

Dry heat sterilization

What will a monitoring service immediately do?

Communicate a failure of sterilization through a telephone call to the dental office.

Why is it important for packages to dry inside the steam sterilizer before storage?

Because wicking of bacteria can occur through wet packaging material.

What do recommended methods for sterilizing dental handpieces include?

Steam sterilziation

What do methods of preventing rust from forming on an instrument during sterilization process include?

Completely drying the instrument.

What do some ultrasonic cleaning solutions have?

Enzymatic activity

How should an ultrasonic cleaner be tested?

By submerging a piece of aluminum foil for 20 seconds while the machine is functioning.

What is not a valid form of steriliziation monitroing?

Structural monitoring

What can result in dried blood remaining on dental instruments following a treatment procedure?

Improper cleaning of dental instruments.

What can not simply happen without proper handling and regulatory compliance due to their high toxicity?

Pouring liquid chemical sterilants down the sink.

What is the major advantage of forced air sterilizers over other types of sterilizers?

Short sterilization cycle time.

What is not used to create vapor for sterilizing with chemical vapor sterilization?

Sodium hypochlorite

What requires the dental assistant to use a new intrment packaged?

Tear in an instrument package.

What is the depressurizing cycle?

The autoclave allowing steam under pressure to be released form within the chamber.

What are ultrasonic cleanereas used for?

Loosen and remove debris from instruments.

What is biologic testing also known as?

Spore testing

What is the minimum frequency recommended by the CDC, ADA, and OSAP for biologic monitoring of all sterilizing equipment?

Weekly

What is the best method to remove de bris from the head of a handpeicne?

Flush the handpiece for 10 to 20 seconds.

What should the temperature during handpiece sterilization never exceed?

275°F

What are termed critical instruments?

Instruments used to penetrate soft tissue or touch bone.

What is the main disadvantage of flash sterilization?

The inability to wrap items prior to sterilization.

When using a spore testing to monitor sterilization, what does a positive culture indicate?

A sterilization failure has occured.

Where is a process indicator placed?

On the outside of the instrument package.

What will not result in sterilization failure?

Using correct packaging material.

Where should a pressurized dental handpiece cleaner be attached to flush it?

The air intake tube of the handpiece.