The use of PPE per CDC guidance is for a primary objective, which is to protect dental care professionals at Mission Valley Dental Arts and patients from infection. The CDC guidelines cover selection and use of Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE to ensure safe practices when donning, using and removing PPE per CDC guidelines. This goal also improves patients’ safety. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, PPE is “specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee for protection against infectious materials.”
According to the CDC, donning of PPE should happen before meeting with the patient. The PPE is designed to protect both the dental professional and patient by restricting direct contact and contamination of inert surfaces around the dental office. The PPE is taken off and disposed of carefully. Respirators are removed outside the treatment room. Dentists will perform proper hand hygiene after removing PPE per CDC guidance.
Dental professionals wear gowns first before wearing masks or respirators. Then, they will wear protective eyewear or face shields, followed by gloves. The combination of PPE used has implications on the order of placement. It is vital to follow the protocol for PPE per CDC guidance.
There are two main physical sides of PPE – contaminated and clean. Contaminated sides are generally on the outside. This part of the PPE has or has possibly been in contact with materials, body sites or environmental surfaces that may have been inhabited by infectious organisms. Clean areas are typically inside, ties around the head or neck and back of the overalls.
The order of removing PPE per CDC guidance is gloves first, then protective eyewear and face shields. Gowns come off next, and finally, respirators or masks. PPE removal should occur close to the doorway of the treatment space, not outside. The only exclusion is respirators, which can be taken off outside of the treatment room, upon closing the door. Hand hygiene facilities should be ready immediately, which should include a sink with hand hygiene products or alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
PPE usage is an essential aspect of standard infection control precautions. Standard precautions assume that saliva, bodily fluids and blood from any patient is infectious. The use of PPE per CDC guidance and other infection control protocols is important to prevent transmission in dental and medical settings. The nature of the interaction between patients and dental professionals determine the use of PPE. Ideally, any procedure that is likely to generate spatter, aerosols, fluids, secretions or excretions require the use of PPE per CDC guidance, including gloves, gowns, masks, protective eyewear or face shields.
Outer protective clothing protects against contamination, especially when there is a risk of skin or cloth contamination. The same situations that require masks, gloves, and protective eyewear also need protective clothing. Examples include smocks, lab coats, aprons, gowns and clinical jackets.
PPE clothing should be resistant to fluids but not necessarily fluid-proof. Protection and comfort are both important parts of PPE per CDC guidance. The aim is to cover most of the regular work clothes. The two basic types of protective clothing are disposable and reusable, which must be changed if visibly contaminated at the end of the day.
Request an appointment here: https://www.missionvalleydentalarts.com or call Mission Valley Dental Arts at (619) 805-4248 for an appointment in our San Diego office.
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.
For those looking to improve how their smile looks, choosing the right cosmetic dentist is key. Because cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized dental specialty, any dentist can claim to be a cosmetic dentist. Therefore, finding the right professional for you can be a challenge. Fortunately, knowing what qualities to look for takes much of…
A dental clinic can be just a block away, but it would still take a lot of convincing before any patients go for a dental checkup. Busy schedules often make people overlook or even dismiss the discomfort in gums and teeth. It is not easy to withstand dental pain and swelling. Pain relievers can only…
Your dental practice might have already told you that sugar is horrible for both teeth and gums. That includes candy, cookies, cake, and pies but also sweet sodas. The average person in the U.S. drinks almost 40 gallons of soda a year. That alone keeps a dental practice busy. With that level of consumption, it…
A same-day dentistry visit is usually advisable for procedures that cannot wait. While it is convenient and comfortable, the visit also ensures practical and accurate results that will restore oral health and function while preventing additional damage. This article will teach you about different reasons for a same-day dentistry visit.With same-day dentistry, patients may get…
