VI. Personal Hygiene

Staff, faculty and students will not eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics or lip balm or handle contact lenses in the work areas where there is potential for exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

No dishes will be washed or stored in the same area where contaminated instruments or equipment is scrubbed.

No food or drink will be stored in the same refrigerator, freezer, shelves, etc. where there is potential for exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

VII. Recapping Needles

This clinic uses incremental doses of anesthesia; therefore, recapping of needles is necessary. In order to prevent a needlestick injury, this clinic uses the one-handed slide method or a re-sheathing device to recap.

Other sharps requiring bending will be done mechanically with a device, i.e., pliers, hemostats, etc.

VIII. Staff, Faculty and Student Tasks Requiring PPE

Appropriate personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, eyewear, and gowns or labcoats) will be worn while performing tasks/procedures involving contamination with blood or other potentially harmful fluids. Persons involved with contaminated substances will be trained and offered the Hepatitis vaccine before beginning such tasks/procedures as:

1.       Direct patient contact involving dental procedures- gloves, masks, eyewear and protective clothing if appropriate for the task..

2.       Handling, cleaning, processing and sterilization of contaminated instrumentsgloves, masks, eyewear, & protective clothing.

3.       Cleaning operatories before and after patient treatment-gloves, masks, & eyewear.

4.       Lab work, including trimming models and polishing prosthesis-gloves, masks, & eyewear.

5.       Performing CPR-pocket mask and gloves,

6.       Cleaning central suction-gloves, masks, & eyewear.

7.       Curing light-protective shield.

8.       Chemiclave/autoclave-warning signs & hot pad.

9.       Other

IX. Removal of Gloves

Removing gloves is completed whereby contamination to the exposed hands is prevented, i.e., the right hand pinches the glove near the edge of the left glove and draws it down to expose the inside. Now the left hand pinches the glove of the right hand and draws it off turning it completely inside out. Place this glove in the palm of the left hand. Make a fist and peel the glove down over the top of the fist, making a ball or packet of gloves. They are now ready to be discarded. Hands are always washed after removing gloves.