Infection Control in Dental Clinics: Everything You Need to Know (2023)

We were talking about infection control. The first thing that comes in infection control is personal safety and your staff safety. So let’s how can we do our own safety. At first we will talk about some precautions that you have to take.

Consider all patients potentially infectious.
Assume all blood and body fluids and tissues to be potentially infectious.
Assume all unsterile needles and other sharps to be similarly contaminated.
Wash hands before and after each patient.
Handle the blood of all patients as potentially infectious.
Wear gloves for all patients.
Prevent needle stick/sharp injuries.
Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while handling blood or body fluids.
Handle all linen soiled with blood as potentially infectious.
Process all laboratory specimens as potentially infectious.
Wear mask.
Correctly process instruments and patients case equipment.
Maintain environmental cleanliness.
Follow proper waste disposal practices.

Next thing which you have to focus is to keep medical records of all your staffs. Some diagnostic test should be there and some immunization vaccine should also be given to them. And this test and vaccine is not only for the staffs but also for you. Immunization policy should be in written with you.

First one is Hepatitis B – If any employee doesn’t have the medical record of Hepatitis B or if he doesn’t know about it then the series of 3-dose of Hepatitis B vaccine should be given to him. And then after two months the blood test of Hepatitis B should be done.

Second is Flu (influenza) – This should be given every year.

Third is MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) – we can do the blood test of MMR to know that are we immune for them or not and if its not then vaccination is needed.

Fourth is Varicella (chickenpox) – if anyone is not suffering from chickenpox then 2-dose vaccination of it should be given in the gap of one month.

Fifth is T DaP (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) – You should take vaccine quickly even if you have taken it before. And every 10 years TD boosters should be installed.

After immunization some screening tests should also be there to know that does any employee transferring infection to other employees.

The most important thing in screening test in tuberculosis. Your any of the employee should not have active case of Tuberculosis and he should also not be the carrier of tuberculosis.

Next important thing after Immunization screening test is proper referral system for the occurrence of any mishappening. For ex – Needle-stick injury.

I think this incident must have happen with all of us. So, you must know all the steps that what you have to do.

If anyone has an unwanted needle break, first of all, wash your hands in running water. After that inform your superior and then management takes place on case-to-case basis.

Now, let’s discuss about what are the safe needle practices in a clinic?

Many people suffer from unsafe injection practice and if you don’t follow these things then you are also a part of this.

The huge unsafe practices are –

Reinsertion of needle in multi-dose vial.
Using same needle in multiple practices.

Safe practice standard is a part of precautions and you should do the things given below –

You have to discard needle and second sharp items in leak-proof rigid puncture resistance container. Here orthodontic wire also comes in sharp.
Recap your needle with using one hand method. Do not recap the needle with both hands.
Make sure aseptic technique to avoid contamination of sterile injection equipment. Means at first, you should wash your hand then wear gloves, use alcohol wipes to clean injection portal, vials and skin where needle will be inserted.

For ex – we should clean it before inserting needle in the vial.

Never take angle A from vial with same syringe and needle because we aspirate while doing angle A administer.
Angle A vial should not be stored on utility tray of dental chair because infection can transfer from here.
Discard vial of sterility is questionable.
Single dose vial is better than multi-dose vial.

After safe needle practice we should be prepared for those occupational hazards which can occur to us.

For ex- a very dangerous incident had happened with my friend. While doing RCT accidently aqueous coats got into his eyes and this incident can lead to blindness also.

Fortunately he is fine because he used to work in hospital so he got the care on time.

The Alkali substances can penetrate the cornea and can cause irreversible damage in few minutes. If this occurs with anyone then flip the eyelid and wash the eyes with saline or tap water. So there are many these types of incidents which can occur to you so be prepared for that from beforehand. You can refer to the guidelines for more information.

THANK YOU

SOLUTIONS FOR DENTIST

We were talking about infection control. The first thing that comes in infection control is personal safety and your staff safety. So let’s how can we do our own safety. At first we will talk about some precautions that you have to take.

Consider all patients potentially infectious.

Assume all blood and body fluids and tissues to be potentially infectious.

Assume all unsterile needles and other sharps to be similarly contaminated.

Wash hands before and after each patient.

Handle the blood of all patients as potentially infectious.

Wear gloves for all patients.

Prevent needle stick/sharp injuries.

Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while handling blood or body fluids.

Handle all linen soiled with blood as potentially infectious.

Process all laboratory specimens as potentially infectious.

Wear mask.

Correctly process instruments and patients case equipment.

Maintain environmental cleanliness.

Follow proper waste disposal practices.

First one is Hepatitis B – If any employee doesn’t have the medical record of Hepatitis B or if he doesn’t know about it then the series of 3-dose of Hepatitis B vaccine should be given to him. And then after two months the blood test of Hepatitis B should be done.

Second is Flu (influenza) – This should be given every year.

Third is MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) – we can do the blood test of MMR to know that are we immune for them or not and if its not then vaccination is needed.

Fourth is Varicella (chickenpox) – if anyone is not suffering from chickenpox then 2-dose vaccination of it should be given in the gap of one month.

Fifth is T DaP (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) – You should take vaccine quickly even if you have taken it before. And every 10 years TD boosters should be installed.

After immunization some screening tests should also be there to know that does any employee transferring infection to other employees.

The most important thing in screening test in tuberculosis. Your any of the employee should not have active case of Tuberculosis and he should also not be the carrier of tuberculosis.

Next important thing after Immunization screening test is proper referral system for the occurrence of any mishappening. For ex – Needle-stick injury.

I think this incident must have happen with all of us. So, you must know all the steps that what you have to do.

If anyone has an unwanted needle break, first of all, wash your hands in running water. After that inform your superior and then management takes place on case-to-case basis.

Now, let’s discuss about what are the safe needle practices in a clinic?

Many people suffer from unsafe injection practice and if you don’t follow these things then you are also a part of this.

The huge unsafe practices are –

Reinsertion of needle in multi-dose vial.

Using same needle in multiple practices.

Safe practice standard is a part of precautions and you should do the things given below –

You have to discard needle and second sharp items in leak-proof rigid puncture resistance container. Here orthodontic wire also comes in sharp.

Recap your needle with using one hand method. Do not recap the needle with both hands.

Make sure aseptic technique to avoid contamination of sterile injection equipment. Means at first, you should wash your hand then wear gloves, use alcohol wipes to clean injection portal, vials and skin where needle will be inserted.

For ex – we should clean it before inserting needle in the vial.

Never take angle A from vial with same syringe and needle because we aspirate while doing angle A administer.

Angle A vial should not be stored on utility tray of dental chair because infection can transfer from here.

Discard vial of sterility is questionable.

Single dose vial is better than multi-dose vial.

After safe needle practice we should be prepared for those occupational hazards which can occur to us.

For ex- a very dangerous incident had happened with my friend. While doing RCT accidently aqueous coats got into his eyes and this incident can lead to blindness also.

Fortunately he is fine because he used to work in hospital so he got the care on time.

THANK YOU