STANDARD 14: Infection Prevention and Control

14.1 General 

1. The dental organization shall provide a sanitary environment to avoid sources and transmission of infections and communicable diseases. There shall be an active control plan for the prevention, control, and mitigation of infections and communicable diseases.

2. This plan shall be reviewed and updated as necessary ‒ but no longer than on an annual basis.

3. The infection control plan shall be retained and maintained as documented information.

14.2 Organization and Policies

1. The infection control plan shall be based on a risk assessment defining the most likely threats and the resulting impact on the dental organization scope of services.

2. The dental organization shall assign clinical indicators to monitor, measure, and review the outcomes and the success of this plan. Corrections or corrective actions shall be made as a result of this review when determined to be necessary in the interest of quality care and patient safety.

3. The infection control policies shall be evaluated and revised when indicated as per the requirement 14.1.2. above. Top professional management of the dental organization shall be responsible for this activity.

4. The dental organization shall be responsible to identify, investigate, report, prevent and control infections and communicable diseases by: 

a) maintenance of a sanitary dental organization environment; 

b) implementation of infection control measures related to all personnel; 

c) mitigation of risks associated with communicable disease in staff and patients; 

d) co-operation and compliance with local health and emergency preparedness authorities to address communicable disease threats, bioterrorism, and outbreaks; 

e) compliance with the reportable disease requirements of the local health authority; 

f) constant monitoring, measuring and validation of all sterilization and decontamination process indicators including those for appropriate storage and transport; 

g) staff training programs shall be held to address, prevent, and/or mitigate any problems identified.

5. Medical equipment marked as “single use only”, or otherwise intended to be disposed after one patient use, shall not be reprocessed in any manner for future patient use, but isolated and disposed of immediately in keeping with national law. This shall include disposable dental burrs, suction equipment, PPE, and medications labeled for single dose only

6. The dental organization management shall be responsible for staff and facility requirements to include but not limited the following:

a) hand washing methods and compliance; 

b) appropriate use of patient antibiotics; 

c) implementation of appropriate immunization for all staff as recommended by national law or other recognized international authority; 

d) screening, evaluation, treatment, and restriction for staff infections when indicated; 

e) policies to address duty restriction of infected dental organization staff or volunteers;

f) initial orientation and ongoing training within the dental organization staff to prevent and control healthcare-associated infections including methods to prevent transmission of infections and communicable diseases; 

g) measures to evaluate, treat, and prevent the occurrence of staff and volunteers exposed to: i. patients or other individuals with infections and communicable disease; ii. injury within the dental organization including biohazard exposure (sharps and needles injuries or chemical injuries); iii. proper and controlled waste containment and disposal measures within the dental organization (see standard 18.5); 

h) policies for use of personal protective equipment including gowns, gloves, masks, and eye protection devices; 

i) control of ventilation and water quality; 

j) maintenance of a safe environment during internal or external construction/renovation; 

k) techniques for cleaning and disinfecting environmental surfaces, carpeting, and furniture; 

l) appropriate textiles reprocessing, storage, and distribution (and/or disposal); 

m) disposal of regulated and non-regulated waste; 

n) pest control; 

o) process, training, and oversight for cleaning, decontamination, and maintenance responsibilities within the dental organization’s critical condition areas (e.g.operating suite, sterile processing, etc.); 

p) a process of ongoing risk assessment.

7. The dental organization shall complete a risk assessment related to bioterrorism and other communicable disease threats which may likely create an emergency crisis effecting operations. This risk assessment shall include likelihood of occurrence and the anticipated impact on the dental organization. Of consideration in this assessment are the required responses related to the sources of the potential threat.

NOTE 1 Education on the principles and practices for preventing transmission of infectious agents within the dental organization should be provided to anyone who has an opportunity for contact with patients or medical equipment, e.g., dental practitioners, assistants, therapists and technicians.