infection control
Dear Office Manager
WHAT AN OFFICE MANAGER NEEDS TO KNOW
by Raghu Puttaiah , BDS , MPH , FICD
20
There is a lack of understanding of the distinction between the terms ‘ Infection Control ’ and ‘ OSHA ’ ( Occupational Safety and Health Administration ) with respect to subject matter , scope , and training requirements from the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners ( TSBDE ), and requirements of the federal government . These terms are not synonymous , and the scope is very different .
‘ Infection Control ’ addresses the control of the spread of infection in the dental office between patients ( cross-infection ), dental team to the patients ( iatrogenic infection ), from the patient to dental team members or between the dental team members ( infection acquired in occupational settings ). The number of hours of training in infection control required by the TSBDE is a minimum of 4 hours every two years where continuing dental education credits are required , commonly provided through the American Dental Association Continuing Dental Education Recognition Program ( ADA CERP ) providers or those cleared for providing Academy of General Dentistry Program Approval for Continuing Education ( AGD PACE ) Continuing Dental Education credits .
OSHA training for dental team members addresses occupational safety and is not
NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www . northtexasdentistry . com limited to controlling occupationally acquired infectious disease ( bloodborne pathogen and airborne pathogen spread ), but should include other workplace safety issues such as building and equipment safety , fire safety , eye protection while being exposed to lights of short wavelength , radiation safety , chemical hazards in the workplace , and musculoskeletal disorders in dentistry . Every new employee should be trained initially in a comprehensive occupational safety program and must have annual updates or additional training when new procedures or risks are introduced into the workplace . Initial comprehensive training , annual training , and periodic updates are a federal requirement by OSHA . Continuing Dental Education credits for OSHA training is not provided , except for dentists who are in the Fellowship or Mastership Track of the AGD Training Programs . Technically , Infection Control encompasses both patient and employee safety , while OSHA only addresses safety of the employees in the workplace .
What training is required in Dental Infection Control ?
History of Dental Infection Control
. Epidemiology of infectious diseases and
concepts in health and disease
.
Proven control measures Impact of epidemics and pandemics
. Vaccination and immunization in curbing disease spread
. Self-imposed restrictions in clinical
. Universal / Standard Precautions and Transmission-Based Precautions
. Spaulding ’ s Classification of Surfaces
practice such as quarantine when infected
. Control measures including sanitization , disinfection and sterilization
. Dental treatment rooms , surgical suites and operation rooms
Impact of Infectious Diseases
. Bloodborne diseases ( Hepatitis B , Hepatitis C , Hepatitis D , Hepatitis G , HIV )
. Waterborne diseases ( Hepatitis A & E ,
Legionella , Tuberculosis site infections , dental treatment water contamination by gram-negative rods )
Childhood diseases
.
Sexually transmitted diseases
Tuberculosis , Influenza , A-H1N1 Influenza , Avian Flu , Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome , Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome and COVID-19
Selection , Use / Misuse of Germicides
. Classification of germicides based on
federal clearance for use in dentistry ( antiseptics & immersion sterilants vs . surface disinfectants )
. Classification of antiseptic formulations based on efficacy
. Chemical sterilization vs . high level disinfection
. Classification of surface disinfectants
( Intermediate-Level , Low-Level , Hospital Claim , TB-Kill , Exposure Time ), ability to denature viruses , cleaning efficacy