Infection Control, Patient Safety and Dental Practice Management / Ethics
Infection Control, Patient Safety, Practice Management and Ethics tests standard precautions, sterilization, sharps safety, waterline hygiene, record keeping, consent and professional conduct.
Core concepts
- Standard precautions apply to all patients: hand hygiene, gloves, masks, eye protection and gowns when indicated.
- Sterilization: autoclave at 121 degrees Celsius and 15 psi for 15–20 minutes, or at 134 degrees Celsius for 3 minutes; monitor with biological spores.
- Disinfection: use hospital-grade tuberculocidal agents for surfaces; disinfection does not replace sterilization.
- Sharps: never recap by hand; use safety devices; dispose immediately.
- Needlestick: wash with soap and water, do not squeeze, report, test source and exposed person, and provide post-exposure prophylaxis as indicated.
- Waterlines: flush and disinfect; biofilm forms in tubing.
- Ethics: informed consent requires capacity, information and voluntariness. Negligence needs duty, breach, causation and damage.
Worked example
A hygienist sustains a needlestick from a patient with unknown HIV status. Reasoning: immediate wound care, source testing, risk assessment and post-exposure prophylaxis within hours; confidentiality applies to both parties.
Traps
Do not wear gloves outside clinical areas or touch charts with gloved hands. Do not assume a patient's history is complete. Do not disclose information without consent except where required by law. Do not treat beyond competence; refer.