Infection Control and OSHA After COVID-19

Health care professionals (HCP) are routinely at an increased risk of cross-infection when treating patients. In response, historical application of evidence-based infection prevention practices and strategies has been demonstrated to provide effective protection during provision of healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic presented the latest challenge to infection control in both medical and dental facilities. This seminar will focus on practical discussion of the most recent infection prevention regulations and recommendations as they relate to dental settings, using occupational blood-borne, airborne, and waterborne pathogens as frameworks for the presentation. Discussion sections include hand hygiene, vaccinations, personal protective equipment (PPE), instrument reprocessing, environmental surface disinfection, and dental water treatment. Application of Standard and Transmission-based Precautions, PPE and air quality requirements necessitated by emergence of SARS-CoV-2 disease also will be considered in light of updated CDC, OSHA, NIOSH, and EPA publications. A major goal of this session is to help dental professionals increase their understanding of the “why” as well as the “what” of infection control procedures.

Course Objectives

At the completion of this course the participants should be able to:

1. Describe application of standard precautions as the foundation of infection prevention
2. Describe occupational challenges from bloodborne and respiratory infections workers
3. Discuss impact of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 infection on dental infection precautions
4. Understand the most recent updates for CDC and OSHA infection control recommendations and regulations
5. Comprehend recommended transmission-based precautions associated with controlling aerosols and airborne pathogens
6. Understand the rationale and practices of effective, hand hygiene procedures
7. Comprehend the most current vaccination recommendations for dental personnel
8. Describe recent technology advances and protocols for instrument processing and sterilization
9. Understand how to effectively monitor reprocessing and sterilization procedures
10. Describe the application of single-use disposables
11. Discuss the importance of environmental surface cleaning and disinfection
12. Describe factors which can lead to dental unit waterline (DUWL) contamination.
13. Comprehend practical strategies which can minimize DUWL contamination.