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DANB CPFDA study materials
DANB CPFDA study resources

DANB CPFDA: Infection Control and Safety: Standard Precautions and Instrument Processing

DANB CPFDA · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

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Infection Control and Safety: Standard Precautions and Instrument Processing

Infection control and safety questions on the CPFDA exam test standard precautions, hand hygiene, PPE, instrument processing, surface disinfection, and OSHA-related safety. The exam expects you to apply these rules to everyday preventive appointments, not just recite them. Safety includes sharps handling, hazard communication, and protecting the patient and team from cross-contamination.

Standard precautions and PPE

  • Treat all patients as potentially infectious; use gloves, mask, eye protection, and gown when splash or spatter is likely.
  • Perform hand hygiene before and after patient contact and after removing gloves; use soap and water when hands are visibly soiled.
  • Change gloves between patients and after touching contaminated surfaces; never wash or reuse gloves.
  • Use barriers on high-touch surfaces and disinfect between patients.

Instrument processing

  • Transport contaminated instruments in a closed container to the processing area.
  • Clean with detergent, rinse, dry, inspect, package, and sterilize; autoclave cycles commonly 121°C (250°F) for 15–20 minutes or 132°C (270°F) for 4 minutes.
  • Monitor sterilization with biological spore tests at least weekly and with chemical indicators on each load.
  • Store sterile packages dry and closed; discard torn or wet packages.

Worked example

After a sealant appointment, the assistant places the contaminated mirror and explorer in a closed container, cleans and packages them, runs the autoclave, and reviews the weekly spore test result. The operatory barrier is removed and the surface is cleaned and disinfected with an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant labeled tuberculocidal. Sharps are placed in a puncture-resistant container without recapping by hand.

Traps

  • Using a disinfectant without a tuberculocidal claim for blood-contaminated surfaces.
  • Skipping spore testing or documenting it incorrectly.
  • Recapping needles by hand instead of using a scoop or safer device.
  • Wearing the same gloves to answer the phone or touch a drawer.
  • Failing to disinfect the suction lines or waterlines according to the office protocol.