DANB DANB Dental Unit & Environmental Infection Control 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the recommended procedure for handling extracted teeth in a dental office setting?
- Discard in regular trash after rinsing
- Place in a sharps container immediately after extraction
- Handle as regulated waste; if containing amalgam, follow state-specific disposal rules (Correct answer)
- Place in a biohazard bag only if the patient has hepatitis
Correct answer: Handle as regulated waste; if containing amalgam, follow state-specific disposal rules
Extracted teeth are considered regulated waste and must be handled accordingly; teeth containing amalgam also require special disposal per applicable state and EPA regulations.
Question 2: Amalgam waste from dental offices must be managed according to guidelines from which agency?
- OSHA
- CDC
- EPA (Correct answer)
- FDA
Correct answer: EPA
The EPA regulates amalgam waste disposal from dental offices under the Clean Water Act, requiring dental practices to use amalgam separators and follow specific disposal protocols.
Question 3: What is the purpose of using an amalgam separator in a dental office?
- To improve amalgam consistency
- To capture amalgam particles before wastewater enters the sewer system (Correct answer)
- To remove mercury vapor from the air
- To recycle old amalgam restorations
Correct answer: To capture amalgam particles before wastewater enters the sewer system
Amalgam separators capture amalgam particles — including mercury — from dental vacuum system effluent before it enters the public sewer system, protecting water quality.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes 'regulated medical waste' in a dental office?
- All waste generated in the dental office
- Waste that has the potential to cause infection, including blood-soaked materials, sharps, and pathological waste (Correct answer)
- Only sharps and needles
- Any waste from a healthcare setting
Correct answer: Waste that has the potential to cause infection, including blood-soaked materials, sharps, and pathological waste
Regulated medical waste is specifically defined as waste with the potential to cause infection, including blood-saturated materials, sharps, and pathological waste, requiring special handling and disposal.
Question 5: How should spills of blood or other potentially infectious materials on environmental surfaces be managed?
- Cover with paper towels and leave to dry
- Clean up with water first, then apply 1:10 bleach solution, allow proper contact time, then wipe (Correct answer)
- Spray with air freshener and wipe immediately
- Call a professional hazmat team for all blood spills
Correct answer: Clean up with water first, then apply 1:10 bleach solution, allow proper contact time, then wipe
Blood spills should be cleaned up to remove visible material first, then the surface should be disinfected with an EPA-registered product (such as 1:10 bleach solution) allowing proper contact time.
Question 6: Dental lab items (impressions, prostheses) received from or sent to a dental laboratory should be:
- Sent as-is without any special handling
- Disinfected before handling and labeled as a biohazard if contaminated (Correct answer)
- Autoclaved before sending to the lab
- Only disinfected if they are visibly bloody
Correct answer: Disinfected before handling and labeled as a biohazard if contaminated
All dental lab items that have been in the patient's mouth must be disinfected before handling in the office or before being sent to the laboratory to prevent cross-contamination.
DANB DANB Dental Unit & Environmental Infection Control 2
What is the recommended procedure for handling extracted teeth in a dental office setting?