
States Are Getting Involved in Infection Control in Dentistry
It’s time to get into complete compliance and not linger with an infection control program full of holes! States like Maryland and California have introduced stricter requirements for infection control training and oversight. It’s clear that the focus on patient and employee safety is growing with infection control in dentistry.
CDC Recommendations and OSHA Enforcement
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides recommendations for infection control in dental settings. OSHA enforces infection control as it relates to employee safety. Some state dental boards require infection control as part of the continuing education (CE) requirements.
The Need for Better Infection Control Training
With the shortage of workers and the use of entry-level dental assistants, there is a pressing need to increase the level of training in infection control. This includes areas such as hand hygiene, PPE, instrument management and sterilization, treatment room disinfection, waterline maintenance, medical waste, and more.
Recent Infection Control Developments in Maryland and California
Maryland:
The House Bill 499 requires each private dental office owner to designate a licensed dentist as the supervising dentist. This dentist must complete registration with the State Board of Dental Examiners and oversee infection control. Maryland refers to CDC’s 2003 Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings. Read more here.
California:
SB1453, effective January 1, 2025, requires all unlicensed dental assistants to complete a board-approved 8-hour infection control course before working in clinical areas. Learn more here.
Advocating for Infection Control CE Requirements
At Modern Practice Solutions, we strongly agree that requiring infection control training as part of CE requirements promotes both patient and employee safety.
States Requiring Infection Control Training
The following states currently require infection control training:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New York
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- Wisconsin
Need Infection Control Training?
To satisfy your infection control training requirements in 2025, contact Modern Practice Solutions.
By Olivia Wann
CDC, Compliance Law, Dental Law, Infection Control, Modern Practice Solutions, OSHA
