September is Dental Infection Control Awareness Month. Are your protocols keeping pace with evolving standards? Learn how to protect patients, staff, and your practice while building a culture of safety year-round.
By Genni Burkhart
Each September, the Association for Dental Safety (ADS, formerly known as OSAP) focuses on Dental Infection Control Awareness (DICAM), highlighting the daily efforts of dental teams to protect patients, staff, and their communities. It also serves as a reminder that infection control is a constant responsibility that must evolve as new scientific evidence and industry guidelines emerge.
The 2025 DICAM theme, “Embracing a Culture of Safety: Empowering Patients and the Dental Team,” highlights the importance of shared responsibility across every role in the dental practice. While DICAM provides an annual spotlight, maintaining high standards of infection prevention requires year-round attention and continuing education.
Four Weekly Infection Prevention Focus Areas
DICAM organizes its content into four weekly topics that guide professionals in reviewing their protocols step-by-step. The primary focus areas make it easier for teams to evaluate and strengthen their systems.
Week 1: Hand hygiene (September 1–5)
Hand hygiene remains one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infection. Proper handwashing techniques protect patients and team members from harmful germs, including those that are resistant to antibiotics. Educating patients about hand hygiene can build trust and demonstrate your commitment to their safety.
Week 2: Dental unit waterlines (September 8–12)
When waterlines are not properly treated, they can harbor microorganisms that create risks for patients and staff. This week is a chance to review waterline testing and treatment procedures to ensure your practice meets all local/state/regulatory safety standards.
Week 3: Instrument reprocessing (September 15–19)
Cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing dental instruments requires multiple steps performed by trained staff using specialized equipment. Each stage must be handled carefully to prevent cross-contamination and protect every patient.
Week 4: Personal protective equipment (September 22–26)
Masks, gloves, gowns, and protective eyewear are essential for preventing exposure to infectious materials. This week provides an opportunity to assess supplies and review proper PPE use.
Educating Patients
Patients may notice infection control practices, but may not always understand what they are seeing. This is why it's important to take the time to explain how protocols are followed. Just a few minutes can help patients feel informed and reassured. This can include showing how instruments are sterilized, describing the purpose of PPE, or discussing how dental waterlines are maintained.
These conversations create transparency and emphasize the connection between oral health and overall health.
Building a Comprehensive Infection Control Protocol
Infection prevention requires a written plan that covers every step of the clinical process, from routine procedures to handling unexpected exposures. This plan should include clear guidelines that meet federal, state, and local regulations while being specific to the needs of your practice.
DOCS Education offers a continuing education Home Study course, titled "Practical Infection Control," led by Dr. Geza Terezhalmy. This course provides dental professionals with the knowledge needed to create and maintain proper infection control protocols. The course focuses on practical, evidence-based approaches to protect patients, staff, and the wider community.
The course covers key topics such as:
- Standard and transmission-based precautions.
- Education and training for the entire team.
- Suggested vaccinations for staff and providers.
- Policies for personal protective equipment.
- Environmental controls for cleaning and disinfection.
- Work practice and engineering controls to reduce risks during procedures.
- Procedures for post-exposure evaluation and follow-up.
- Administrative policies and work restrictions for ill staff members.
By incorporating these elements into a comprehensive plan, practices create a culture of safety that supports compliance and patient trust.
A Year-Round Commitment to Safety
The Association for Dental Safety (ADS) and other organizations provide resources to help practices strengthen their infection control systems. These include checklists, templates, and customizable materials for patient education. While these tools are helpful, they work best when paired with regular team discussions on protocol and practices.
Infection control is more than a checklist to be reviewed once a year. It's an ongoing commitment to excellence and to the trust patients place in their providers. As September brings renewed attention to infection prevention, take this opportunity to evaluate your practice’s systems and invest in your team’s infection control skills.
Author: With over 15 years as a published journalist, editor, and writer, Genni Burkhart's career has spanned politics, healthcare, law, business finance, technology, and news. She resides in Northern Colorado, where she works as the editor-in-chief of the Incisor at DOCS Education.
