Something that is certainly commonplace in your dental practice is the use of PPE, which stands for Personal Protective Equipment. There are several different types of PPE, as well as several different classifications as well. While some situations call for more protection than others, every patient care interaction will include the use of the most basic sort, such as gloves, face masks, and protective eyewear.
There are several different types of gloves, all with their own specific purpose. Take the time to familiarize yourself with these below:
Hand hygiene is one of the most important methods of exposure control out there — most just for medical professionals, but for everybody. While you may not be handling patient care directly, you should make good practice of cleaning your hands regularly, rinsing with soap and water for the appropriate length of time.
If you need more resources on PPEs or exposure control, take a look at the pages below:
- CDC. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings—2003
- CDC. Guidance for the Selection and Use of Personal Protective Equipment in Healthcare Settings
- CDC. 2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings – Figure. Example of Safe Donning and Removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) CDC. Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care
