It is important for dental professionals to be fully educated about PPE use in order to keep themselves and their patients safe. One of the most significant aspects of using PPE in an appropriate manner is understanding the recommended sequence for donning and doffing. We’ve pulled the most relevant information from the CDC in order to help dental professionals keep up with the correct processes surrounding this topic.
Before entering a patient room (donning):
- Complete hand hygiene
- Put on a clean gown that covers personal clothing and skin that is likely to be exposed to potentially infectious materials (saliva, blood, etc.)
- Put on a surgical mask or respirator
- Put on eye protection
- Perform hand hygiene again
- Put on clean non-sterile gloves
- Enter the patient’s room
After completion of dental care (doffing):
- Remove gloves
- Remove gown and discard it in a dedicated container
- Exit the patient room
- Complete hand hygiene
- Remove eye protection
- Remove and discard the surgical mask or respirator
- Perform hand hygiene again
It is critical that dental professionals take these recommendations seriously to create a safe environment in their office. As Covid-19 continually reshapes our workplace, demonstrating to patients that PPE procedures are secure and effective is vital. The CDC page has a wealth of additional information that covers this topic in more depth. To learn more, see their detailed article linked below.
