Policy on Infection Control
Policy statement
The AAPD:
- acknowledges the CDC’s recommendations4,5 and OSHA standards6 for infection control for dental settings and supports the strategies therein.
- encourages dental practitioners to follow current literature and consider carefully infection control measures in their practices to minimize the risk of microbial transmission.
- encourages adherence to manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting equipment (including nitrous oxide equipment and water lines).
- encourages practitioners to develop a water management plan that includes routine maintenance procedures for dental unit waterlines (according to the manufacturer’s instructions) and monitoring water quality to help keep waterline bacterial counts low.
- encourages providers and their dental teams to be proactive in addressing infection control concerns. Staff may benefit from additional training to better answer questions from parents regarding the infection control practices in their treatment facility.