ADC Practical Exam key terms

The routine level of infection control applied to every patient regardless of known status, including hand hygiene, appropriate gloves, eye protection, and safe handling of sharps and contaminated waste.

Cleaning hands with soap and water or alcohol-based rub at defined moments, such as before and after patient contact and after glove removal, to break the main route of cross-infection.

A set of practices that keep instruments, surfaces, and the operative field free of microorganisms during invasive procedures, using sterile items and avoiding contact with non-sterile objects.

A validated process that destroys all microorganisms, including bacterial spores, on reused instruments; autoclaving with saturated steam under pressure is the usual dental method.

An accidental puncture or cut from a needle, scalpel, or other contaminated instrument. It requires immediate wound care, reporting, and risk assessment for bloodborne virus exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis.

This term is not part of the requested dental domains; it refers to inner-ear balance structures and is unrelated to infection control, restorative dentistry, or any listed topic.

The controlled removal of diseased and unsupported tooth tissue to create a shape that accepts a restorative material and resists displacement under biting forces.

The use of etchants, primers, and adhesives to create a micromechanical and chemical union between resin composite and dentin, sealing tubules and retaining the restoration.

Volume reduction that occurs as resin composite sets, which can pull on bonded walls, open margins, or cause post-operative sensitivity and marginal staining.

A diet- and plaque-driven disease in which acid from bacterial fermentation demineralises enamel and dentin, progressing from a surface lesion to cavitation if unchecked.

A concentrated fluoride coating painted onto tooth surfaces to promote remineralisation and reduce demineralisation, particularly useful for high caries-risk patients and root surfaces.

The distance from a coronal reference point to the intended apical limit of instrumentation, usually the apical constriction, confirmed by radiograph and electronic apex locator.

A device that measures electrical impedance between the root canal file and surrounding tissues to estimate the position of the apical constriction during canal preparation.

The narrowest point of the root canal near the apex, marking the ideal limit for cleaning, shaping, and obturation to avoid over- or under-extension.

Three-dimensional filling of the cleaned and shaped root canal system, typically with gutta-percha and sealer, to prevent reinfection and support periapical healing.

A solution such as sodium hypochlorite flushed through the canal to dissolve organic tissue and kill microorganisms; it must be confined to the canal to avoid tissue damage.

The distance in millimetres from the gingival margin to the base of the sulcus or pocket, measured with a calibrated probe to assess attachment loss and disease severity.

The distance from the cemento-enamel junction to the base of the pocket, indicating the true loss of periodontal support over time.

Non-surgical removal of plaque and calculus from crowns and root surfaces, smoothing cementum to reduce inflammation and allow reattachment or pocket reduction.

Loss of periodontal attachment into the space between roots of a multi-rooted tooth, graded by severity and affecting prognosis and treatment planning.

Probing under local anaesthesia through the sulcus to the bone crest to detect intrabony defects or furcation involvement when radiographs are inconclusive.

The vertical relationship of the maxilla and mandible when the teeth or occlusion rims are in contact, guiding the height at which restorations and dentures are made.

A reproducible maxillomandibular relationship in which the condyles sit in their most anterior-superior position against the articular eminences, independent of tooth contact.

A negative record of teeth and surrounding tissues made with a tray and material, from which a positive cast or digital model is produced for planning and fabrication.

Features of a crown preparation that prevent the restoration from being dislodged along its path of insertion or tipping under load, achieved through taper, surface area, and grooves.

A lever-like instrument used to detach a tooth from its socket by applying controlled force to the periodontal ligament and bony attachments before forceps removal.

Painful breakdown of the blood clot after extraction, leaving exposed bone, usually starting a few days later; managed by irrigation, dressing, and analgesia.

Placement of graft material, often with a membrane, into a fresh socket to limit bone resorption and preserve ridge volume for future implant placement.

Injection near the mandibular foramen to anaesthetise the inferior alveolar nerve, providing pulpal and soft tissue anaesthesia for mandibular molars and premolars.

Blood drawn into the syringe during injection, indicating the needle tip lies within a vessel; the needle is repositioned before depositing solution.

Systemic effects from excessive or intravascular anaesthetic, ranging from perioral tingling and tinnitus to seizures and cardiac depression; prevention relies on dose limits and aspiration.

An intraoral radiographic method in which the film or sensor is held parallel to the tooth and the beam is aimed perpendicular, minimising distortion and improving accuracy.

An intraoral method that places the beam perpendicular to a line bisecting the angle between tooth and film, used when paralleling is impractical but producing more distortion.

The principle of keeping radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable through selection criteria, collimation, fast receptors, and avoiding repeat exposures.

A patient's voluntary agreement after receiving understandable information about diagnosis, proposed treatment, alternatives, material risks, and consequences of declining, documented in the record.

A patient's ability to understand, retain, weigh, and communicate a decision about their care at the time it is made; it is decision-specific and presumed unless shown otherwise.

The professional obligation to be open and honest with patients when something goes wrong, explaining what happened, apologising, and outlining what will be done to address it.

A brief loss of consciousness from reduced cerebral perfusion, commonly triggered by anxiety or pain in the dental chair; managed by lying the patient flat and raising the legs.

Regular team rehearsal of responses to events such as collapse, choking, or anaphylaxis, ensuring drugs, oxygen, and roles are known and equipment is checked.

Opening and maintaining a clear passage for breathing using head tilt, chin lift, suction, or airway adjuncts, the first priority in any collapsed patient.