Infection Control

Along with many other important skills in the dental practice field, infection control is one of the
most important. Without infection control guidelines and knowledge of the subject many patients and
team members could be infected with diseases and viruses. Infection control procedures may change
but they should be followed precisely. It is very efficient if everyone wears the correct gear, is open to
change and is willing to learn new tips to operate fast and efficiently, and keep the area easy to access.

First of all, infection control guidelines should be followed to the best of one’s ability. No matter
a dental office’s preference, you should always wear all available personal protective gear. It fascinates
me that most offices do not enforce their employees to wear eyewear and masks during points in the
visit even during physical contact with a patient. You should always treat a patient as though they are
infected. When a patient is in the dental chair, all the appropriate personal protective equipment should
be worn. A mask, eyewear, gloves, and a disposable gown are all necessary to keep yourself and the
patient safe. It is also important to wear a thick closed toe shoe to protect yourself from a possible sharp
instrument penetrating the skin. It is always routine to wipe down the operatory and make sure that
hands are washed frequently, especially before and after a patient.

Keeping instruments, operating chairs, and all other inventory clean and sterile is a major
portion of infection control. Making sure every inch of the operating chair is wiped down with a cavicide
wipe after a multiple extraction patient is so important to the safety of the next patient. A fascinating
cleaning tip was shown to me while at clinicals one day. An assistant showed me that turning the HVE
handpiece on after disposing the actual HVE suction and putting a cavicide wipe down the handpiece
will remove blood from the inside. Another lady showed me to fill a sink with the cavicide cleaner and
put the handpieces in there and let them suck all cleaner into the handpiece to disinfect the inside.

Lastly, it’s important that everything that is needed during a procedure is within reach so there
is little to no chance of spreading contamination to a sterile object. Have all the possible instruments on
the tray so no one has to leave the room to fetch a needed instrument or object. Also it is important to
have trash cans available and close so you do not have to travel with your contaminated items and risk
exposing another patient. If the trash is in your operating room then this eliminates the possibility of
bumping into someone in the hall or dripping blood out in the hall. If you do drop something, it is better
in your room than in the open where anyone can touch it. This is something that I have realized after
being in the assisting chair and trying to keep myself, the current patient, and the next patient in mind.

Infection control procedures are so important in keeping everyone in the dental practice safe.
The dental field is always changing for the better. One thing that should stay the same is treating the
operating room as though it has had an infected patient. By wearing the appropriate personal protective
equipment, learning the best cleaning procedures, and making the operating room more equipped with
all possible needs, the office should run efficiently and to everyone’s standards.