Infection Control and Sterilization Flashcards
7 cards from real NDECC 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 and Sterilization flashcards as text
What does OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard require dental employers to provide to employees at risk of occupational exposure?
Answer: Hepatitis B vaccination at no cost to the employee
OSHA requires employers to offer the Hepatitis B vaccination series to all employees with occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens, at no cost to the employee.
Which type of glove is required when handling chemical disinfectants and sterilants in the dental reprocessing area?
Answer: Heavy-duty puncture-resistant utility gloves
Heavy-duty utility gloves provide chemical resistance and puncture protection required when handling concentrated disinfectants and sharp contaminated instruments during reprocessing.
The 'one-glove-change' rule in dental infection control refers to:
Answer: Removing gloves before touching unchained surfaces such as chart records or computer keyboards during treatment
Contaminated gloves must be removed before touching unchained surfaces like charts or keyboards to prevent cross-contamination of administrative areas with clinical pathogens.
Dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) can harbor biofilm that may contaminate treatment water. What is the recommended colony-forming unit (CFU) limit for water used in dental treatment?
Answer: Less than 500 CFU/mL
The CDC and ADA recommend that dental treatment water contain less than 500 CFU/mL of heterotrophic bacteria, consistent with the EPA standard for safe drinking water.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of 'standard precautions' in dental infection control?
Answer: Treating all patient blood, body fluids, and mucous membranes as potentially infectious regardless of diagnosis
Standard precautions require treating all patient blood and potentially infectious materials as if infected regardless of the patient's known disease status, reducing transmission risk for all patients.
Dry heat sterilization requires a longer cycle than steam autoclave sterilization primarily because:
Answer: Heat penetration without moisture is less efficient, requiring higher temperatures and longer times
Dry heat kills microorganisms through oxidation rather than hydrolysis, requiring higher temperatures (160–170°C) and longer exposure times (1–2 hours) compared to moist heat sterilization.
After a failed biological indicator (spore test) result from the autoclave, the FIRST action the dental office should take is:
Answer: Remove the autoclave from service and recall all unimplanted items processed since the last passed spore test
A single failed spore test requires removing the autoclave from service and recalling and reprocessing all items sterilized since the last successful test to ensure patient safety.