Dental team members can learn how to protect themselves from exposure to potentially infectious agents in the dental office. This course shows ways to reduce risk of acquiring a bloodborne disease through occupational exposure by understanding and using immunization, adherence to standard precautions, and disinfection and sterilization. This course also explains the two main OSHA standards that affect dentistry, the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard and Hazard Communication Standard.

Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to understand the following:

1. The Bloodborne Pathogen Standard
2. The Hazard Communication Standard
3. The Infectious Disease Process
4. Immunization recommendations
5. Standard Precautions
6. Infection Control
7. Cleaning, Sterilization and Disinfection
8. Infection Control in the Dental Laboratory

This course shows how to protect against exposure to potentially infectious agents and hazardous chemicals in the dental office. It explains several ways to reduce the risk of acquiring a bloodborne disease through occupational exposure including immunization, adherence to standard precautions, and disinfection and sterilization and the control and prevention of exposure to hazardous chemicals. The course also includes reasons to contact state boards of dentistry, instructions on how to avoid infection in the dental laboratory, and instructions on how to clean, sterilize, and disinfect potentially infectious items and how to monitor the sterilization processes.

1. OSHA Standards for the Dental Office
   
   
   1. Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
      
      
   2. Hazard Communication Standard
   
   
2. The Infectious Disease Process
   
   
   1. Infectious Agent
      
      
   2. Susceptible Host
      
      
   3. Mode of Transmission
   
   
3. Immunization
   
   
4. Standard Precautions
   
   
   1. Handwashing
      
      
   2. Personal Protective Equipment
   
   
5. Chairside Infection Control
   
   
6. Infection Control After Treatment
   
   
7. Infection Control During Radiographic Procedures
   
   
8. Cleaning, Sterilization, and Disinfection
   
   
9. Liquid Chemical Agents
   
   
   1. Glutaraldehyde-Based Solutions
      
      
   2. Iodophors
      
      
   3. Chlorine Dixoide-Based Solutions
      
      
   4. Sodium Hypochlorite (Household Bleach)
      
      
   5. Phenolics
   
   
10. Infection Control in the Dental Laboratory

1. OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard at www.osha.gov/SLTC/bloodbornepathogens/index.html
2. OSHA Hazard Communication Standard at www.osha.gov/SLTC/hazardcommunications/index.html
3. CCR – 1005 Minimum Standards for Infection Control. See www.dbc.ca.gov to find this standard.
4. CDC Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health Care Settings—2003 MMWR 2003;52(No. RR-17) at http://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/guidelines/index.htm