Handwashing: Handwashing is mandatory:
or around the neck. Protective eyewear is mandatory for the clinician and patient’s use. Both sets of eyewear should be cleaned between uses, using gloved hands until they have been decontaminated. • Clinic Attire: Gowns All students will routinely wear appropriate attire to prevent skin exposure and soiling of uniforms when contact with blood or saliva is anticipated. Disposable gowns must be changed between patients or when visibly soiled. When leaving the clinic for the day, gowns must be placed in the biohazard bag with a biohazard sign. • Needle Recapping and Sharps Disposal To prevent needle-stick injuries, needles are NOT to be recapped by moving the needle towards a body patient, but can be recapped using an appropriate one-handed technique or an appropriate recapping device. Used needles are to be disposed of in an appropriate puncture-resistant contained and should not be purposefully bent or broken after use. Containers should be located at each operatory. Empty anesthetic cartridges, broken instruments, completed spore vials, microscope slides or other sharps must be disposed of in these containers. • Utility Gloves Sturdy, unlined utility gloves should be worn for all cleaning and disinfection of instruments, dental units, and environmental surfaces. Utility gloves have an increased resistance to instrument punctures. Utility gloves should be autoclaved after use. Utility gloves must be replaced if there are any holes or tears in the glove. • Instrument Recirculation Transporting instruments-all contaminated instruments and instruments cassettes should be transported from the operatory to the sterilization area in a sealed plastic container. Students must use heavy utility gloves when working with contaminated instruments.
• Before glove placement prior to treatment • During treatment if infection control asepsis is violated or the glove integrity is compromised • After glove removal • Between patients • Before leaving the treatment area • Handwashing Protocol: To be performed at the beginning of the appointment, upon visible contamination of the hands, and at any time that the integrity of the gloves has been compromised. • Alcohol-based Gels: May be used during patient care if hands are not visibly contaminated. Using a “dime size” amount of 75% or above alcohol gel, vigorously rub the hands together remembering to cover the fingertips, nail beds, and the ventral sides of the hand until dry. This procedure should take approximately 15 seconds. Personal Protection: Routine use of appropriate personnel protective equipment will be used since blood and saliva from ALL dental patients must be considered to be infectious. • Non-sterile, non-latex gloves: All students and clinic staff having patient contact will wear disposable gloves whenever there is contact with blood, saliva, or mucous membranes. Gloves must not be washed or otherwise reused. Gloves must be changed between patients. Gloves must be removed and hands washed before leaving the clinical area. Skin breaks should be covered with Band-Aids before donning gloves. Utility gloves must be worn for housekeeping procedures. • Masks and Eyewear Disposable masks, shields, and protective eyewear will be worn. Change masks between patients or during treatment if the mask becomes wet. When not in use, the mask should not be placed on the forehead
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Dental Hygiene Program
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