ABSTRACT:
Transmission of infectious agents from patients to dental health care personnel (DHCP) in dental setting is very rare. However, from 2003 to 2015, transmissions in dental settings, including patient-patient transmissions, have been documented. In most cases, investigators failed to link a specific lapse of infection prevention and control with a transmission. However, infection prevention procedures included unsafe injection practices, failure to heat sterilize dental handpieces between patients, and failure to monitor (e.g., conduct spore testing) autoclaves. These reports highlight the need for comprehensive training to improve understanding of underlying principles, recommended practices, their implementation, and the conditions that must be met for disease transmission. All dental settings, regardless of level of care provided, must make infection prevention a priority and should be equipped to observe Standard Precautions and other infection prevention recommendations contained in CDC’s Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings. The information presented here is based primarily upon the recommendations from the 2003 guideline and represents infection prevention expectations for safe care in dental settings. It is intended for use by anyone needing information about basic infection prevention measures in dental health care setting but is not a replacement for the more extensive guidelines.The dental environment is associated with significant exposure to various micro-organisms. Infection control is one of the prime elements for a successful dental practice. There are many infectious diseases that can be transmitted during a dental treatment. New diseases with serious consequences a high rate of transmission have evolved in the past. Infection control is directed at prevention to exposure of such infections and to prevent it being transferred from person to person. The universal law for infection control considers that ‘Every patient should be considered Infectious’. This review article represents various aspects of infection control in dental environment.