CDC and the Practice of Dental Hygiene, 2nd Edition

Course overview

Since 1993, the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed and updated protocols for infection control recommendations for the dental setting. The most recent compilation of these recommendations is the 2016 CDC document, Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care, which will be introduced and discussed. This incorporates new information relevant to the practice of dental hygiene since the CDC published Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings on December 19, 2003. (ADA Center for Professional Success, 2020b). This basic-level course provides an overview of these infection control guidelines with an emphasis on clinical applications for the dental hygienist. Although the target audience for this course is primarily the dental hygienist, it is also pertinent to other dental professionals who may be involved in infection control program implementation in dental healthcare settings.