ABSTRACT
Patients and staff should be protected from infection. Infection can be transmitted from the patient to staff or visa versa, or from patient to patient (cross-infection). All instruments used for a specific patient should afterwards be thoroughly cleaned and wire-brushed to remove all debris, eg cement, before being sterilised in an autoclave. All work surfaces should be scrupulously clean, and a variety of proprietary materials are on the market for maintaining clean work tops and dental equipment. Any spilt blood or pus should be cleaned with disinfectant containing hypochlorite solution or 2% gluteraldehyde.
