Infection Control Audit - Dental Practices

Infection control audit checklist for dental offices covering sterilization, hygiene, PPE, dental unit waterlines, sharps, staff training, and more.

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Infection Control Audit - Dental Practices



Governance And Infection Control Programme

1. A written infection prevention and control (IPC) policy is in place, has been reviewed within the last 12 months, and is accessible to all clinical staff


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2. A named infection control lead has been designated for the practice, with clearly documented responsibilities


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3. An IPC audit schedule is in place and records of previous audits are retained and available for review


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4. The practice maintains a current risk assessment for infection control, covering clinical areas, decontamination, and patient flow


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5. A post-exposure management policy is documented, includes contact details for the relevant occupational health or emergency service, and is accessible at the point of need


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6. Incidents involving potential exposure to blood or body fluids are recorded in a sharps and exposure incident log, with dates, actions taken, and outcomes noted


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Staff Training And Occupational Health

1. All clinical staff have completed infection control training appropriate to their role within the last 12 months, with training records retained


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2. New staff complete IPC induction training before performing clinical duties unsupervised


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3. Staff competency in decontamination and sterilization procedures has been assessed and documented within the applicable review period


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4. Staff immunization status is recorded and up to date in accordance with applicable national guidance for healthcare workers (e.g., hepatitis B, influenza)


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5. Staff are aware of the practice's post-exposure protocol and know how to initiate it following a needlestick, sharps injury, or splash incident


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6. Personal health exclusion guidance is in place: staff are aware of the circumstances under which they should report illness or refrain from clinical contact


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Hand Hygiene

1. Handwashing sinks in all clinical areas are for hand hygiene only, with no other items stored in or around the sink


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2. Liquid soap, single-use paper towels, and alcohol-based hand rub are available at every clinical handwashing point


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3. Alcohol-based hand rub is available at the entrance to each treatment room for use where hands are not visibly soiled


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4. Staff are observed to wash hands with soap and water at the start of each clinical session and after removing gloves when hands are visibly soiled or contaminated


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5. Staff apply alcohol-based hand rub before and after patient contact where hands are not visibly soiled, following the correct seven-step technique


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6. Hand hygiene is performed before donning gloves and immediately after removing and disposing of gloves


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7. Staff with cuts, abrasions, or broken skin on hands have covered them with a waterproof dressing before clinical contact


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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

1. Gloves appropriate to the task are available in the correct sizes and are worn during all clinical procedures and during handling of contaminated instruments


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2. Gloves are changed between patients and are not reused or washed for reuse


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3. Surgical face masks are worn during aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) and are changed between patients or when visibly soiled or damp


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4. Eye protection (visor or safety glasses) is worn by all clinical staff during AGPs and procedures with splash risk


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5. Protective clothing (gowns or clinical uniforms) is worn in clinical areas and is laundered or changed at the appropriate frequency per practice protocol


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6. PPE is removed in the correct sequence to prevent self-contamination, and clinical clothing is not worn outside the practice environment


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Instrument Decontamination And Sterilization

1. A defined decontamination workflow is in place: the instrument processing area has separate dirty, cleaning, and clean/sterile zones with clear directional flow from soiled to sterile


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2. Used instruments are transported to the decontamination room in a closed, puncture-resistant container immediately after use


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3. Instruments are cleaned by the appropriate method (automated washer-disinfector or ultrasonic cleaner with manual pre-clean) before sterilization; hand-scrubbing alone is not used


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4. Cleaned instruments are inspected for residual debris and damage before packaging


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5. Instruments are packaged in appropriate pouches or wraps before sterilization, with a chemical indicator inside each package


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6. Instrument packs are labeled with the sterilizer cycle reference or batch number, enabling traceability


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7. The sterilizer is validated, maintained per the manufacturer's schedule, and a current maintenance record is held


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8. A biological indicator (spore test) is used to verify sterilizer efficacy at the applicable frequency per practice protocol


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9. Sterilizer cycle logs are maintained for each cycle run, including date, cycle parameters, and pass/fail result


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10. Sterile instrument packs are inspected for integrity before use; packs with compromised seals, tears, or punctures are not used and are returned for reprocessing


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11. Sterilized instruments are stored in a clean, dry, covered environment with protection from contamination, and stock is rotated on a first-in-first-out basis


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12. Single-use items are not reused; packaging indicating single use (the figure-2 symbol) is identifiable by all relevant staff


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Dental Unit Waterlines (DUWL)

1. A written protocol for dental unit waterline management is in place, covering the treatment method, flushing schedule, and testing frequency


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2. Dental unit waterlines are flushed at the start of each clinical day for the minimum period specified in the practice protocol


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3. Waterlines are flushed for a minimum of 20–30 seconds between patients


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4. A waterline treatment product or device (e.g., chemical tablets, filtration system) is in use and applied per the manufacturer's instructions


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5. DUWL water quality is tested at the frequency specified in the practice protocol, with results documented and retained


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6. Water quality test results are within the acceptable threshold for heterotrophic plate count (HPC) as defined by applicable guidance; any exceedances are documented with the corrective action taken


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7. Bottle reservoirs (where applicable) are emptied, cleaned, and disinfected at the frequency specified by the manufacturer or practice protocol


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Operatory And Clinical Surface Management

1. A written schedule for clinical contact surface management is in place, specifying which surfaces are barrier-protected and which are decontaminated between patients


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2. Disposable barriers (e.g., plastic covers, sleeves) are used on surfaces that are difficult to clean between patients, and are changed between every patient


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3. Clinical contact surfaces not covered by barriers are cleaned and disinfected with an appropriate surface disinfectant between each patient, following the manufacturer's contact time


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4. The sequence of surface decontamination moves from clean to dirty zones and is consistently followed by all clinical staff


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5. Dental chairs, light handles, bracket tables, and control panels are included in the between-patient decontamination process


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6. Aspirator traps and suction lines are cleaned at the end of each clinical session using an appropriate cleaning solution per the manufacturer's instructions


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Laboratory And Prosthodontics Item Handling

1. A written protocol is in place for the decontamination of items dispatched to and received from external dental laboratories


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2. Impressions, bite registrations, and other items leaving the practice are decontaminated before dispatch, and the decontamination method and product used are documented on the laboratory docket or dispatch record


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3. The laboratory is informed of the decontamination status of all items dispatched, and this communication is recorded


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4. Prostheses, appliances, and other items received from the laboratory are disinfected on arrival before being placed in the patient's mouth, using a method compatible with the material


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5. Reusable items used during try-in appointments (e.g., metal frameworks, occlusal rims) are decontaminated before returning to the laboratory or being processed for fit


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6. Staff handling laboratory items use appropriate PPE, including gloves and eye protection where splash risk exists during disinfection


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Waste And Sharps Management

1. Clinical (infectious) waste is segregated from domestic waste at the point of generation and placed in the correct color-coded bags or containers per applicable waste regulations


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2. Sharps containers in use are puncture-resistant, leak-proof, and closable, and are compliant with applicable standards


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3. Sharps containers are not filled beyond the fill-line indicator and are disposed of through an approved clinical waste contractor


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4. Needles are not recapped by hand using a two-handed technique; a one-handed scoop method or a mechanical recapping device is used where recapping is clinically necessary


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5. Amalgam waste is segregated and disposed of through an approved amalgam waste contractor, separate from other clinical waste streams


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6. Waste disposal records (collection notes, contractor details) are retained for the applicable period per practice protocol


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Checklist by GoAudits.com – Please note that this checklist is intended as an example. We do not guarantee compliance with the laws applicable to your territory or industry. You should seek professional advice to determine how this checklist should be adapted to your workplace or jurisdiction.

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