Ch. 8 (Infection Control Rationale & Regulations)

American Dental Association (ADA)

A nonprofit professional association the membership of which is made up of dentists in the United States. Its purpose is to assist its members in providing the highest professional & ethical care to citizens of the United States & to serve as an advocate for the advancement of the profession. (see Appendix A)

Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

An association dedicated to increasing the understanding, safety, & efficacy of medical instrumentation (see Appendix A)

Bloodborne Pathogens Standard

A law developed by the OSHA & passed by Congress that directs employers to protect employees from occupational exposure to blood & other potentially infectious material.

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)

The federal facility for disease eradication, epidemiology, & education headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. (see Appendix A)

Direct Contact

Mode of disease transmission requiring person-to-person body contact.

Indirect Contact

Spread of disease agents through fomites (objects or surfaces).

Droplet Infection

Contact transmission of disease through small liquid droplets.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

This governmental agency controls the safety and effectiveness of surface disinfectants.

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

This governmental agency controls the safety & effectiveness of sterilizers.

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

This governmental agency requires employers to protect their employees from exposure to blood and saliva at work.

Organization for Safety & Asepsis Procedures (OSAP)

The infection control education organization in dentistry.

Standard Precautions

The CDC has expanded the concept of universal precautions into what is now called ____________________. This applies not just to contact with blood but also to (1) all body fluids, secretions, & excretions (except sweat) regardless of whether they contain blood (2) non intact skin, & (3) mucous membranes.

Universal Precautions

The concept that all human blood & certain human body fluids that may contains blood are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV & HBV & other bloodborne pathogens.

Justification for this concept is based on the inability to easily identify most of those infected with HIV, HBV, or hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Patient to Patient

Not doing a good job cleaning or sterilizing reusable hand instruments contributes to which pathway of cross-contamination in the office?

Community to office

Improving the quality of dental unit water addresses which pathway of cross-contamination in the office?

Reduce the dose of microorganisms that may be shared between individuals.

Goal of dental infection control

Infection control procedures covered by the bloodborne pathogens standard are:

Wearing a surgical mask at chair side during patient care.

Wearing gloves during instrument processing and operatory cleanup.

Hand washing.

The employer

According to the blood borne pathogens standard, who pays for employee training and hepatitis B immunization?

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) guidelines for infection control in dentistry.

Which governmental agency covers more topics than the blood borne pathogens standard?

Infection control procedures are designed to:

Interfere with the development & spread of disease. (disturb the development & inhibit the spread of disease.)

Disinfecting the inside of dental unit's water lines

Which procedure reduces the spread of disease from the community to the patient?

Latex or vinyl disposable gloves (disposable treatment gloves prevent direct contact disease transmission.)

Which personal protective equipment protects against inoculation by direct contact?

The first statement is true; the second is false.

Although the potential exists, no cases of disease transmission from contaminated instruments have been reported.

Contaminated instruments can transfer pathogenic microorganisms from one patient to another.

Unsterile instruments are frequently responsible for patient-to-patient disease inoculation in the dental office.

(Are these statements true or false?)

A rubber dam effectively reduces the spread of infection from?

Patient to the dental team.

Which practice inhibits microbial spread by enhancing host resistance?

Immunization

Infection control is the management of which disease determinant?

Dose, or number, of invading pathogens.

increased. decreased

The likelihood of preventing disease is _________ as the dose is ____________.

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

Which entity has the authority to make & enforce regulations?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is involved in which aspect of infection control?

Regulating medical waste after it leaves the dental office.

The exposure control plan must be reviewed & updated?

Annually (once a year).

The bloodborne standard of OSHA:

Mandates training for temporary employees at risk of occupational exposure.

Temporary employees at risk of occupational exposure must receive training.

Which hand hygiene protocol is NOT recommended by the CDC?

An alcohol-based hand rub should be used to decontaminate visibly soiled hands.

Hand hygiene protocol's recommended by the CDC:

Fingernails should be kept 1/4 inch length or less.

Hand lotion should be used to prevent skin dryness & chapping.

Pre surgical hand hygiene includes washing with antimicrobial soap & water.

According to the CDC, a biological indicator (& matched control) should be used to monitor the sterilizer at least once a?

Week. The sterilizer should be tested weekly.