General Information
Areas with crevices, knobs and other hard-to-reach features, such as air-water syringe and light handles are better protected with
What are surface barriers?
These surfaces include floors, walls, and sinks
What are housekeeping surfaces?
Chemicals that are applied to inanimate surfaces
What is a disinfectant?
Instruments are classified into these categories
Any chemical that can cause a physical or health hazard
What is a hazardous chemical?
Used to loosen and remove debris from intruments
What is an ultrasonic cleaner?
These surfaces can be directly contaminated by direct spray or spatter during dental procedures or by contact with gloved hands
What are clinical contact surfaces?
Only products registered with the EPA with these claims should be used to disinfect dental treatment areas
Tuberculocidal
What is hand scrubbing?
Inhalation, absorption, and ingestion
Destroys all microbial forms of life, including spores
What is sterilization?
Directly touched and contaminated during treatment procedures; surfaces include dental light handles, chair switches, computers, pens, and dental handles
What is touch surfaces?
EPA registered intermediate-level hospital grade disinfectant with broad-spectrum activity; meaning it can kill a wide range of microbes
What are synthetic phenols?
Used to sterilize instruments and other items by means of steam under pressure
What is an autoclave?
Otherwise known as Hazard Communication Standard
What is the Employee Right-to-know law?
Disadvantage of this method of sterilization is that unwrapped instruments are no longer sterile once they are removed from the sterilizer
What is flash sterilization?
Not directly touched but often touched by contaminated instruments; include trays and handpiece holders
What is transfer surfaces?
The ADA, CDC, and OSAP do not recommend this as an environmental disinfectant
Uses a combination of formaldehyde, acetone, ketone, and water to create vapor to sterilize
What is unsaturated chemical vapor sterilization?
Contain health and safety information about every chemical in the office
The only way to determine whether sterilization has occurred and to confirm that all bacteria and endospores have been killed
What is biologic monitoring?
Do not actually contact members of the dental team or contaminate instruments or supplies; include countertops
What are splash, spatter, and droplet surfaces?
High-level disinfectant/sterilant are often effective for this many days
What is 28?
Needs at least 16 hours of post-sterilization aeration to remove gas molecules bound to plastic and rubber surfaces
What is ethylene oxide sterilization?
Includes sharps, human tissue, dental amalgam, x-ray fixer solution, and blood-soaked gauze