MMWR: Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings - 2003

This report presents recommendations for preventing and controlling infectious diseases and managing personnel health and safety concerns and infection control in dental care settings. The report updates and revises previous CDC recommendations and incorporates infection-control measures. The recommendations provided include: (1) educating and protecting dental health-care personnel; (2) preventing transmission of bloodborne pathogens; (3) hand hygiene; (4) personal protective equipment; (5) contact dermatitis and latex hypersensitivity; (6) sterilization and disinfection of patient-care items; (7) environmental infection control; (8) dental unit waterlines, biofilm, and water quality; and (9) special considerations (e.g., dental handpieces and other devices, radiology, parenteral medications, oral surgical procedures, and dental laboratories).