Frequently Asked Questions
Find the most up-to-date information about infection prevention and control practices on CDC’s COVID-19 page, including CDC’s Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Dental Settings During the COVID-19 Response. These pages include information for the public and healthcare professionals, frequently asked questions and answers, and other helpful links.
This section includes answers to a variety of frequently asked questions on issues of interest to clinical dentistry. For more specific discussion of these topics, you are encouraged to review the Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings—2003 pdf icon[PDF – 1.2M]—which remains the standard of practice—and other CDC guidelines. Appendix C from the 2016 Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care pdf icon[PDF-344KB] provides a list of selected references and resources across a range of topics. As a reminder, CDC is not a regulatory agency, and can only make recommendations. You will need to consult your state dental board for their specific requirements or regulations.
- About the CDC Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health Care Settings—2003
- Antibiotic Stewardship
- Bloodborne Pathogens & Aerosols
- Bone Allografts
- Cleaning & Disinfecting Environmental Surfaces
- Contact Dermatitis & Latex Allergy
- Dental Handpieces
- Dental Unit Water Quality
- Education and Training
- Extracted Teeth
- Hand Hygiene
- Managing Breaches
- Measles: Information for Dental Settings
- Occupational Exposure to Blood
- Oral Surgical Procedures
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette
- Safe Injection Practices
- Saliva Ejector & Backflow
- Service Animals in Dental Health Care Settings
- Single-Use (Disposable) Devices
- Sterilization
- Use & Handling of Toothbrushes