Infection Control & Prevention Flashcards
7 cards from real CDC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Infection Control & Prevention flashcards as text
According to the CDC, which category of patients is most likely to require special dental infection control considerations related to prion diseases (e.g., Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease)?
Answer: Patients who received dura mater or pituitary-derived growth hormone grafts before 1987
Recipients of dura mater grafts or cadaveric pituitary-derived hormones before 1987 are considered at elevated risk for iatrogenic CJD and warrant special instrument handling protocols.
Which statement BEST describes the rationale for using surface barriers (plastic wrap/covers) in dental operatories?
Answer: Barriers prevent contamination of surfaces difficult to clean and disinfect between patients
Surface barriers protect surfaces that are difficult to clean — such as light handles and chair controls — from contamination and are changed between each patient.
Under the CDC's Spaulding classification, a dental mirror used only to examine intact oral mucosa (no contact with blood) is classified as:
Answer: Semi-critical
Instruments that contact mucous membranes but do not penetrate soft tissue are semi-critical and require at minimum high-level disinfection, though sterilization is preferred.
A dental practice wants to verify that its sterilizer is functioning properly after a mechanical failure was repaired. Which test should be performed BEFORE returning the sterilizer to routine use?
Answer: Three consecutive biological indicator test cycles with negative results
After sterilizer malfunction or repair, CDC recommends running three consecutive biological indicator cycles without any processed load before returning the sterilizer to service.
Which of the following is TRUE regarding the use of latex gloves in dental infection control?
Answer: Gloves should be donned before and removed after patient contact without touching contaminated outer surfaces
Proper glove removal technique — peeling from wrist without touching the outer contaminated surface — prevents hand contamination and is required regardless of glove material.
Which federal agency has authority to register disinfectants and sterilants used on environmental surfaces in dental offices?
Answer: EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
The EPA registers chemical germicides used on environmental surfaces; the FDA regulates those used on medical devices or applied to patients.
A dental hygienist notices that the sterilization pouch for a curette set was wet when removed from the autoclave. What is the CORRECT action?
Answer: Re-sterilize the instruments after repackaging in dry pouches
Wet packs are considered a sterilization failure because moisture can wick microorganisms through the packaging material; instruments must be repackaged and re-sterilized.