Bloodborne Pathogen Policy
As a healthcare worker, you may be exposed to diseases spread through the blood or other bodily substances.
Bloodborne Diseases
Bloodborne pathogens are infectious and disease-causing microorganisms carried by the blood.
Bloodborne diseases that you could be exposed to include:
- Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
- Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
- Hepatitis D Virus or Delta Hepatitis (must have HBV to get HDV)
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- (Hepatitis A and E are not Bloodborne viruses)
The two most significant diseases which can be transmitted by blood and body fluid exposure are Hepatitis B (HBV) and HIV. HBV is much more virulent than HIV and HBV can live 7-14 days in dried blood.
Exposure Control Plan
The Dental Hygiene Clinic follows the College’s Exposure Control Plan that identifies specific procedures and job classifications in which exposure to blood occurs.
Methods of Compliance
Universal Precautions/ Standard Precautions
Standard precautions are our approach to infection control. This approach means treating all human blood and certain human body fluids, including aerosols as if they were infected with HIV, HBV, or other bloodborne pathogens. Because you don’t know for certain who may be infected, we must use standard precautions with all patients to prevent exposure to blood and body fluids.
The Dental Hygiene Program, in order to reduce the likelihood of exposure, has implemented and established an ongoing review of our protocols; that includes, but not limited to:
Engineering Controls and Work Practice Control Policies In:
- Handwashing
- Eye Wash Station
- Handling of Sharps
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Personal Habits and Eating
- Housekeeping Principles
- Regulated Waste
Students admitted to the programs in Dental Hygiene or Dental Assisting must possess the following qualities:
- The emotional maturity and stability to approach highly stressful human situations in a calm and rational manner.
- The ability to make clinical judgment using critical thinking.
- The ability to adhere to ethical standards of conduct as well as applicable state and federal laws.
- The ability to provide effective written, oral, nonverbal communication with patients and their families, colleagues, health care providers, and the public.
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