Infection Control and Prevention

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The Need for Safety is NOW

Here at Dentsply Sirona, we are committed to aiding your practice in navigating through the rapidly evolving industry standard and guidelines regarding infection control.

Now more than ever, it is important to prioritize infection control within your office to ensure every visit is a safe visit for you, your team members, and your patients. Infection prevention strategies may be found in guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and standards from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Important infection control & prevention topics

Personal protective equipment

Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be selected based on risk assessment and tasks to be performed.

These items are designed to provide a protective barrier during dental procedures and through the sterilization process. PPE must also be considered for patients as they enter the facility and provided to administrative staff who may be screening them upon arrival.

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Operatory disinfection

Dental procedures often expose patients and dental healthcare personnel (DHCP) to aerosols, splatter and microorganisms which eventually land on environmental surfaces.

Appropriate surface cleaning and disinfecting and equipment preparation will minimize the risks of cross-contamination providing a safer working environment for the dental office team and patients.

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Instrument reprocessing

Instrument reprocessing requires multiple steps using specialized equipment to achieve sterilization. Each dental practice should have policies and procedures in place for containing, transporting, and handling instruments and equipment that may be contaminated with blood or bodily fluids. ¹

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Treatment center cleaning programs

Proper infection prevention with your dental units can prevent water contamination due to improper cleaning and disinfecting of dental units. Preventing cross-contamination, by effectively adhering to the strictest regulations and ultimately averting loss of revenue and time.

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Handpiece sterilization

Dental handpieces and associated attachments, including low-speed motors and reusable prophylaxis angles, should always be heat sterilized between patients and not high-level or surface disinfected. Although these devices are considered semicritical, studies have shown that their internal surfaces can become contaminated with patient materials during use. If these devices are not properly cleaned and heat sterilized, the next patient may be exposed to potentially infectious materials.

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Single-use solutions

The need to create a healthy environment for patients is more important than ever. Address patient needs and comply with the most demanding infection prevention requirements with Dentsply Sirona. Discover a wide range of presterilized and single-use instruments and consumables to help with efficiency and safety in your office.

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Infection Control Guide 8 MB

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^{1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; October 2016.

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care.” Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Oral Health; March 2016.}

The infection control and prevention recommendations presented in this document are in alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The Organization for Safety Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP), provides many resources for DHCP which may be found on their website at OSAP.org.

The information provided does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials cited in this paper are for general informational purposes only. Information in this paper may not constitute the most up-to-date advisory, legal or other information. This paper contains citations to third-party publications and websites. Such references are only for the convenience of the reader. Readers should consult their own legal and other advisors for specific information impacting their practices.