DANB Dental Unit & Environmental Infection Control Flashcards
6 cards from real DANB practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 DANB Dental Unit & Environmental Infection Control flashcards as text
What is the recommended procedure for handling extracted teeth in a dental office setting?
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.
Amalgam waste from dental offices must be managed according to guidelines from which agency?
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.
What is the purpose of using an amalgam separator in a dental office?
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.
Which of the following best describes 'regulated medical waste' in a dental office?
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.
How should spills of blood or other potentially infectious materials on environmental surfaces be managed?
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.
Dental lab items (impressions, prostheses) received from or sent to a dental laboratory should be:
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.