Join us for a journey into the world of dental environmental safety. The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants that cause the disease COVID-19 continued persistence in the community has revolutionized the practice of dentistry and demonstrated the importance of quality infection prevention practices. Dental healthcare professionals are exposed to large volumes of aerosols throughout a workday which contain blood, saliva, and pathogenic organisms such as bacteria and viruses from a patient’s mouth. These aerosols can transmit diseases such as Acute Respiratory Infections (COVID-19) when viral particles are present. The aerosolized product stays suspended in the air for hours after a procedure while traveling throughout the entire dental environment when appropriate engineering controls such as high-volume evacuation, air decontamination, and quality ventilation systems are not present. The World Health Organization states the lack of ventilation, or low ventilation rates in healthcare facilities increases the risk for airborne disease outbreaks. This course uses evidence-based research to explore dental aerosols and office environment best practices.
After completing this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Define a dental aerosol and describe its erratic behavior in the air environment.
- Recognize the risk for disease transmission when engaging in a dental aerosol-generating procedure.
- Incorporate engineering controls that mitigate the risk for disease transmission and improve indoor air quality.
