Dental practices have legal duties to ensure that their waste does not cause pollution or present a hazard to health. This article outlines the legislation on the management and disposal of waste and how it should be applied
Ensuring good disinfection involves choosing suitable fixtures and fittings, defining clear and dirty areas, having cleaning schedules and protocols in place and following guidance, as well as using cleaning products correctly
Infection prevention and control is coming under increasing scrutiny, yet has always been considered important to the dental profession. Here, Julia Freeman explores best practice in surface decontamination
Intact skin is a first-line defence mechanism against infection. Damaged skin on healthcare workers (HCWs) is an important issue and needs to be seriously addressed. This article examines the different hand decontamination products available and identifies measures HCWs can take to protect their han
Legionnaires' disease outbreaks hits the press on a regular basis. This article takes a look at the risks around legionella in a dental surgery and discusses how to reduce the risk of staff and patients contracting this often fatal disease
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is exactly what is says; it is designed to protect the person wearing it from harm such as outside pathogens picked up from the working environment. This article investigates PPE such as gloves, mask and protective eye wear used in dental practice
Cross infection is a risk in all dental practices, regardless of size, and managing it can appear daunting in a single-handed practice. However, a practice with well-trained, knowledgeable staff can maintain high standards of infection control
The EU Sharps Directive came about in response to the fact that needlestick injuries are one of the most serious health and safety threats for healthcare workers. So how does it affect dental nurses?
A dental practice may have hundreds of patients visiting it each week. Many of these patients will be carriers of pathogenic organisms. Blood-borne viruses are a major concern, but there are other types of viruses which can cause just as much harm
Dental practices should have good management systems in place to ensure they comply with regulations that govern how they store and dispose of waste. Not complying with regulations can result in prosecution, and harm to staff, patients, the public and the environment
Uniforms and personal protective equipment are a major part of your practice's and your own professional image, as well as for protecting patients and professionals. Dental care workers need to ensure they comply with health and safety regulations around their use
The Care Quality Commission inspects healthcare premises to ensure they meet its standards of quality and safety. Inspectors visit dental practices at short notice, talk to staff and patients, and ask some incisive questions about every aspect of how the practice is managed
This article outlines some of the more important testing and validation that should be carried out to ensure decontamination equipment is functioning properly, can conform to the required standards and that the required data can be properly recorded by dental teams
Surfaces and equipment used in the decontamination of dental instruments should be cleaned carefully before and after each decontamination process cycle. The procedure used should comply with written local policies. Julia Freeman, decontamination lead, discusses best practice in surface decontaminat
