2. Critical thinking: While receiving dental care, patients are exposed to the same hazards as dental personnel. Protective eyewear for the patient should be considered for protection from accidentally dropped instruments, chemical splashes, and other foreign-object injuries during dental and hygiene procedures. So, a best practice is having the patient wear the same level of protection as the dental personnel. Obviously, a patient cannot wear a full-face shield when having dental procedures performed. But if dental personnel are wearing impact resistant, full coverage goggles Conclusion The dental hygienist is largely responsible for infection control in their operatory, including wearing personal protective equipment, performing hand hygiene, instrument processing, and surface disinfection, surface barriers, waterline maintenance, and dental radiology. The hygienist must be conscientious, knowledgeable, and compliant with current infection control guidelines and regulations. To minimize disease transmission, the dental hygienist and other dental healthcare personnel should understand basic infection-control principles contained in the benchmark CDC document, Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Resources Principal CDC Documents ● CDC Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings—2003: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5217.pdf ● Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care: https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/pdf/safe-care2. pdf ● Printed versions of the Summary may be requested at CDC Publications on Demand: https://www.cdc.gov/pubs/#/special-order/222361 COVID-19 ● CDC MMWR COVID-19 Surveillance After Expiration of the Public Health Emergency Declaration—United States, May 11, 2023: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7219e1.htm?s_ mm7219e1_w ● Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection- control-recommendations.html. ● COVID-19 for Healthcare Workers: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/index.html ● CDC COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/ ● CDC Updates COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/statement- COVID.html ● CDC COVID-19 Testing Overview: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/testing.html ● CDC COVID-19 Symptoms: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/ symptoms.html ● CDC COVID Data Tracker: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home ● State and Territorial Health Departments: https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/healthdirectories/ healthdepartments.html ● CDC Use Masks to Slow the Spread of COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting- sick/masks.html ● CDC COVID-19 Facility Access Tool: https://www.cdc.gov/screening/
that have side protection while delivering dental care, then why not have the patient wear the eyewear with the same level of protection? Since accidents can and do occur, a most conservative approach would be the safest. 3. Eyewear considerations: Protective eyewear is available in many cost-effective sizes, fits, and shade selections. Dental hygienists may seek a verity of protective options and have them available for patient use during dental care. Health-Care Settings, 2003 , and the most recent CDC publication, Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care . Knowledge of and compliance with CDC recommendations and pertinent regulatory agencies can minimize the risk of disease transmission in the dental healthcare setting. As a valuable member of the dental team, the dental hygienist must recognize that team effort, commitment, ongoing vigilance, and routine program evaluation are imperative for effective infection control in the dental healthcare setting. ● Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-risk- assesment-hcp.html Dental Unit Waterlines: ● CDC Oral Health: Dental Unit Water Quality: https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/faqs/dental- unit-water-quality.html ● CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response Health Alert Network (HAN): Outbreaks of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Infections Highlight Importance of Maintaining and Monitoring Dental Waterlines: https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2022/han00478.asp ● CDC Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs): Mycobacterium abscessus: https://www.cdc.gov/hai/organisms/mycobacterium.html ● OSAP: Journal of Dental Infection Control and Safety: Dental Unit Quality: Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention White Paper and Recommendations—2018: https://www.osap.org/assets/docs/resources/toolkits-topics/ dental-unit-water-quality-organization-for-safety-asepsis-and- prevention-white-paper-and-recommendations-2018.pdf Education and Training ● Foundations: Building the Safest Dental Visit: https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/foundations- building-the-safest-dental-visit.html ● Basic Expectations for Safe Care learning modules: https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/safe-care- modules.htm ● Dental Infection Control Education and Certification: https://dentalinfectioncontrol.org/certification/cdipc/ Environmental Surfaces: ● CDC Oral Health: Cleaning and Disinfecting Environmental Surfaces FAQs: https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/faqs/cleaning- disinfecting-environmental-surfaces.html ● CDC Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health- Care Facilities (2003): https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/environmental/ background/services.html#:~:text=Environmental%20 surfaces%20can%20be%20further,%2C%20walls%2C%20 and%20tabletops ● CDC Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs): Reduce Risk from Surfaces: https://www.cdc.gov/hai/prevent/environment/surfaces.html
EliteLearning.com/Dental
Page 48
Powered by FlippingBook