Registered Dental Assistant: Infection Control Basics Click the play (arrow) button to advance to the next slide. By Janice Lewis

Abbreviations DHCP-Dental Health Care Personnel EPA-Environmental Protection Agency FDA-Food and Drug Administration HBV-Hepatitis B Virus IC-Infection Control ICC/ICRF-Infection Control Committee/Review Function OPIM-Other Potentially Infectious Materials PPE- Personal Protective Equipment

Rationales of Infection Control Observe Universal Precautions Practice Standard Precautions Maintain a chain of asepsis To protect yourself and the health of your patients, every patient you encounter should be treated as if he or she is infectious. Prior to, during, and after each procedure, it is important to practice techniques that will prevent the spread of infection such as use of PPE and body substance isolation techniques. Practicing aseptic techniques will prevent cross contamination from one patient to the next and from one health care worker to the next.

Regulators of Infection Control Federal Drug Administration (FDA) Regulates manufacturing and labeling of medications and medical devices. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regulates the safety and effectiveness of disinfecting and sterilizing solutions. Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures (OSAP) National organization of health care workers from all health industries. Meets to cover topics of infection control and hazard communication

Regulators of Infection Control Many organizations make protecting you and the patients a priority. The ADA: Makes recommendations through various media such as journals, the internet, newsletters, etc. The CDC describes: Body substance isolation (BSI) Personal protective equipment (PPE) OSHA: Defines potentially infectious materials Establishes bloodborne pathogens standards Is the regulating body to ensure that health care facilities are protecting their employees from exposure to infectious diseases or materials.

Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) Four step process for exposure determination Step 1: Type of employee Dentist, D.A., Hygienist, Lab Tech Receptionist, Coordinating assistant Accountant, Insurance agent Step 2: How often at risk Step 3: Manual developed Step 4: Written policy Training cannot consist solely of videos or interactive computer programs. Dental practices must make sure employees understand completely through hands-on interaction.

OSHA Compliance A dental office will be investigated for compliance if: A complaint has been filed The office has eleven or more employees Invited by the office All states are regulated by OSHA standards. Twenty-four states are regulated also through a state agency and are often more demanding than the federal standards. The rest of the states are administered through regional branches of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Chain of Infection

Breaking the Chain of Infection

References Dental Assisting: A Comprehensive Approach (3rd. Ed.) by Phinney and Halstead. Thomson /Delmar Learning, 2008