Hand hygiene and PPE: Dental assisting

Hand hygiene and personal protective equipment, or PPE, are the front line of infection prevention in the dental office. Every time you set up a tray or assist with a procedure, you’re interacting with surfaces and materials that can carry microorganisms. You can think of infection control as a routine practice that protects you, your patients, and everyone who moves through the dental environment. As a dental assistant, consistent hand hygiene and proper PPE use help ensure dental care is delivered safely and confidently.

Now, hand hygiene is an infection-control measure that involves handwashing with soap and water, or the application of an alcohol‑based hand rub to reduce nosocomial infections, otherwise known as healthcare-associated infections, or HAIs. These measures are both effective ways to reduce hand contamination during routine patient care, but sometimes one is preferred over the other. For example, if your hands are visibly dirty or contaminated with blood or other body fluids, you must wash them with soap and water. For routine clinical care, alcohol‑based hand rubs are fast and effective.

Also keep in mind that timing is just as important as technique, so think of hand hygiene as the first and last step in every clinical interaction. For instance, perform hand hygiene before and after caring for each patient, after touching contaminated surfaces, before eating, and after using the restroom. Sometimes you’ll use gloves to create a physical barrier between you, your patient, and potentially contaminated surfaces – but remember that gloves don’t replace hand hygiene. So, you’ll perform hand hygiene before putting on gloves, and immediately after removing the gloves.

Now, let’s shift gears and talk about personal protective equipment, or PPE. PPE is designed to protect your skin, eyes, and mucous membranes from exposure to potentially infectious organisms.

Instead of thinking about PPE as separate items, think of it as a system that shields you from splash, spatter, and aerosols that can occur during dental procedures. Masks, eyewear, gloves, and protective clothing work together to create a barrier between you and the clinical environment. When used correctly, PPE reduces the risk of exposure and helps maintain a safe workspace for both you and your patients.

Okay, let’s take a closer look at the main types of PPE and how they are used in the dental office. There are abundant sources of contamination in the dental office, often stemming from bacteria and other organisms that reside in the oral cavity. Masks protect your nose and mouth from inhaling droplets - which are tiny liquid-filled particles that are released when someone coughs or sneezes - and aerosols, which are even smaller particles.