Welcome to the juce on infection control. This section of dentaljuce is Core Verifiable CPD, a recommended topic for UK dentists nurses therapists hygienists and CDTs.
Using an interactive question and answer format, this module introduces Cross Infection Control, an important subject for all members of the team to know about both for their own safety and that of their patients.
Patients deserve to be treated in a safe environment. This includes reducing the risk of acquiring an infection from a visit to a dental practice to an acceptable level.
Additionally, staff working in a dental practice also have a right to be safe from infection acquired at work. A Dental Practice must ensure that its policies and procedures respect their right, as part of its moral, ethical, and legal responsibilities.
Let's begin with a few very basic concepts:
What is meant by Cross Infection in dentistry? How can it happen?
It is the transfer of micro-organisms between people, either from direct contact, or from dental instruments, surgery surfaces, air, and dental appliances
Why is strict cross-infection control important in dentistry?
1. There is a strong expectation from the public that dental cross-infection control should be exemplary, as a result of fear of AIDS, CJD, and more recently COVID-19.
2. Some infections, like Hepatitis B and Tuberculosis (TB), have been proven to be transmissible in the dental practice environment when cross-infection control precautions are sub-standard.
3. There are an increasing number in the population who are immuno-compromised. more… Immuno-compromised means a patient has lowered resistance to infection, because their immune system is weakened. This may be because of illness (e.g. leukaemia), or because of medical treatment (e.g. radiotherapy, which can kill the cells that help immunity). A severely immuno-compromised patient may have almost no resistance to infection.
Who is at risk of acquiring an infection from the dental practice?
1. The patient.
2. Visitors (e.g. from carelessly placed sharps containers and infected waste bins)
3. The entire dental workforce. As well as operators and nurses, this includes dental technicians and delivery drivers (from e.g. contaminated impressions), cleaners (from waste handling), and reception staff (from e.g. occasional handling of potentially infected items like pens, keyboards, radiographs, and from airborne infections due to meeting so many people each day).
4. Infection can also travel out of the practice if, for example, impressions or pathological samples are sent to laboratories by post.
The degree of risk obviously varies greatly depending on one’s duties, but the aim of cross-infection control is to minimise the risk for everybody.
Broadly, how can cross infection control be reinforced within a practice setting?
A practice should have a written up-to-date cross infection control policy, and ensure all team members are trained to implement it correctly. It should establish regular monitoring (auditing) of compliance, and regular re-training sessions.
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