The purpose of infection prevention and control (IPC) is to reduce the risk of transmission of potentially infective organisms between individuals to prevent and control the occurrence of healthcare associated infections (HAIs). In dental practice, where the main sources of infective organisms are blood and saliva, IPC encompasses a range of activities, including hand hygiene, instrument decontamination, cleaning the care environment and waste management.
All dental team members have a duty to take appropriate precautions to protect patients, members of staff and other visitors from the risk of infection during or associated with providing dental treatment. Dental team members must ensure their knowledge and training in IPC are appropriate to their role in the practice, and meet General Dental Council (GDC) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) (disinfection and decontamination) [1]. Failure to employ adequate methods of IPC could lead to a charge of professional misconduct by the GDC [2].
This topic deals with IPC within the dental practice. It draws on the Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICPs) and Transmission Based Precautions (TBPs) within NHS National Services Scotland's (NHS NSS) National Infection Prevention and Control Manual [3] NHS NSS: Management, equipment and process of the decontamination of dental instruments in the Local Decontamination Unit (LDU) in NHS Scotland (SHTM01-05) [4], and NHS Health Facilities Scotland’s Compliant Dental Local Decontamination Units in Scotland 2019: GUID 5005 v2 [5].
Note: SICPs may be insufficient to prevent cross transmission of specific infectious agents. Therefore, additional precautions known as TBPs are required to be used by staff when treating patients with a known or suspected infection or colonisation.
Sources of information
- Recommended CPD topics. General Dental Council (2018)
- Professional Conduct Committee. General Dental Council
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual. NHS National Services Scotland
- Management, equipment, and process of the decontamination of dental instruments in a Local Decontamination Unit (LDU) in NHSScotland (SHTM 01-05) NHS National Services Scotland (2024)
- Compliant Dental Local Decontamination Units in Scotland (GUID 5005) NHS National Services Scotland (2019)