An Overview of the CDC Checklists for Medical and Dental Office Infection Control
Medical and dental offices have had infection control standards in place long before COVID-19 became a concern. Setting up a cleaning schedule and meeting industry standards is not an option in this industry, it’s a must. Thorough cleaning of high-touch areas is key, from waiting rooms to the reception desk to treatment rooms to medical equipment, there are so many places employees must consider. This all adds up to a lot of cleaning tasks, and without the right cleaning company and dental office cleaning checklist, your dental practice will suffer.
Regular Maintenance and Daily Cleaning Promotes Patient and Occupational Safety
It is especially important to clean carefully between patients and extensively disinfect the facility on a regular basis to comply with CDC and local requirements.
On top of safety, patient satisfaction is sure to increase when offices implement a regular cleaning schedule to follow on a daily basis and a long-term plan for monthly tasks. A clean office, dental chair, and reception area will give patients a better impression of your dental clinic, and contribute to overall employee morale.
Enviro-Master is here to help a variety of healthcare facilities with deep cleaning and specific cleaning services to fit the specific needs of your facility. Utilize the below cleaning schedule template, and reach out to EMS to learn more about our commercial cleaning services including:
The CDC’s Dental and General Outpatient Medical Checklist provides an overview of basic standards to stop the spread of germs and is specifically designed for each treatment environment.
General Cleaning Checklist Summary
- Administrative Program: Ensure that procedures and practices for infection control are in written form and updated regularly.
- Education and Competency: Workers should receive appropriate training and evaluation to ensure that they understand and follow procedures and practices.
- Personnel Safety: There should be appropriate immunization requirements, procedures for handling possible pathogen exposure events, TB testing, and trained respirator use if needed.
- Surveillance and Reporting: Familiarity with and adherence to processes should be verified, and the list of illnesses considered exposure events should be updated and shared. Exposure concerns and reporting are for both personnel and patients.
- Hand Hygiene: Adequate supplies for hand hygiene should be available, and proper training and practice in place for routine hand washing, hand antisepsis, and surgical hand antisepsis.
- PPE: Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) should be available and personnel should be trained in its use including examination gloves, masks, protective clothing, protective eyewear and face shields, utility gloves, and surgical gloves.
- Respiratory Hygiene / Cough Etiquette: Training for personnel and signage for patients should provide instruction regarding respiratory infection containment including tissues, masks, and hand hygiene, along with social distancing for those exhibiting symptoms.
- Sharps Safety: Needles and blades with safety features should be used where possible. Used sharps should be carefully managed.
- Safe Injection Practices: Injection sites should be aseptically prepared and contamination-free.
- Sterilization and Disinfection of Patient-Care Items and Devices: Reprocessed devices should be handled according to manufacturer specifications by personnel trained in these techniques. PPE should be worn when handling these items.
- Environmental Infection Protection and Control: Cleaning, disinfection, and the use of barriers and other physical protection should be employed. Biohazard containment procedures should be followed for biological spills.
Dental-Specific Cleaning Needs
Dental Unit Water Quality: Water should be sterile for procedures and otherwise meet EPA drinking water standards. Procedures should be in place for additional processes in response to community boil water instructions.
Medical-Specific Cleaning Needs
Point of Care Testing (if applicable): Personnel should be trained in the use of blood glucose meters and other testing equipment.
A Top Commercial Cleaning Service is the Foundation of Health & Safety
Enviro-Master, a leading commercial cleaner, provides thorough medical facility cleaning using medical-grade disinfectant delivered by our unique Virus Vaporizer electrostatic spraying technology for complete coverage with a disinfectant that clings to surfaces due to its electrostatic charge. Our cleaning services are an important part of disease control and complying with even the highest standards.
