INFECTION CONTROL PRACTICE TEST QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2025/2026
When patient treatment is completed, the dental assistant should: - remove and dispose
of gloves and face mask and wash hands.
What is not true of chin-length face shields? - Can be used in place of safety glasses
and face masks
If a glove tears during patient treatment, the dental assistant should: - Remove the
gloves, wash hands and don a new pair of gloves
When leaving the dental office at night, what should the dental assistant do with his or
her laboratory coat? - Place it in a container with a biohazard label for laundry in the
office.
What type of soap is not acceptable for handwashing in dental care settings? -
Antimicrobial bar soap
What are the steps in handwashing process (in order)? - Wet hands with water, apply
soap, rub hands for 15 seconds, rinse and dry hands
What type of gloves can be washed and reused in dentistry? - Nitrile utility gloves
When does a laboratory coat or protect gown need to be changed? - If it becomes
visibly soiled with blood
What is an indirect contact mode of disease transmission? - Puncture from a
contaminated anesthetic needle
What is a direct contact mode of disease transmission? - Touching soft tissue or teeth in
a patients mouth
Droplet infection can occur through exposure to aerosol and spatter during dental
procedures and also through: - Coughing and sneezing
According to the CDC, instruments should be packaged before sterilization, unless they
will be: - Used immediately after they have been sterilized
When a used needle is removed from a syringe during treatment, it should be placed: -
In a sharps container in the treatment room
Sharps containers should be replaced when: - The contents reach the fill line on the
container
, What type of water or irrigant should be used during surgical procedures? - Sterile water
or saline
If the dental assistant suspects that the sterility of a multiple-dose medication vile has
been compromised, he or she should: - Discard the vile in an appropriate container
Chemicals can enter the human body by - Inhalation, absorption through the skin,
eating or swallowing them
What should be done to the instrument packages just before they are opened for use on
the patient? - Check them for tears or punctures
Using an ultrasonic cleaning basket reduces the direct handling of instruments, allows
for easy placement into and removal from the cleaning solution, facilitates rinsing of the
cleaned instruments, and: - Raises the instruments off the bottom of the tank to provide
optimal cleaning
The appropriate parameters for unsaturated chemical sterilization are: - 20 minutes at
270 degrees Fahrenheit
The appropriate parameters for static air dry heat sterilization of packaged items are: -
60 minutes at 320 degrees Fahrenheit
A key advantage of using an unsaturated chemical vapor sterilizer is that it: - Does not
cause rust or corrosion like a steam autoclave
Flash sterilization can be achieved in a steam autoclave by: - Using a shorter time and a
higher temperature
To help prevent rust or corrosion of items in a steam autoclave, the instruments should
be ______ before they are placed in the autoclave: - Dried
Instrument packs must always be allowed to dry before handling, because the wet
paper may tear and the: - Paper may draw or "wick" microorganisms into the package
The possible drawback to using an unsaturated chemical vapor sterilizer is that it can: -
Expose the dental team to the chemical vapor
According to the CDC, immersion in a chemical sterilant is not recommended for items
that can withstand heat sterilization because: - Chemical sterilants cannot be monitored
with a biological indicator
OSHA requires infection control training records to be kept on file in a dental practice
for: - 3 years
ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2025/2026
When patient treatment is completed, the dental assistant should: - remove and dispose
of gloves and face mask and wash hands.
What is not true of chin-length face shields? - Can be used in place of safety glasses
and face masks
If a glove tears during patient treatment, the dental assistant should: - Remove the
gloves, wash hands and don a new pair of gloves
When leaving the dental office at night, what should the dental assistant do with his or
her laboratory coat? - Place it in a container with a biohazard label for laundry in the
office.
What type of soap is not acceptable for handwashing in dental care settings? -
Antimicrobial bar soap
What are the steps in handwashing process (in order)? - Wet hands with water, apply
soap, rub hands for 15 seconds, rinse and dry hands
What type of gloves can be washed and reused in dentistry? - Nitrile utility gloves
When does a laboratory coat or protect gown need to be changed? - If it becomes
visibly soiled with blood
What is an indirect contact mode of disease transmission? - Puncture from a
contaminated anesthetic needle
What is a direct contact mode of disease transmission? - Touching soft tissue or teeth in
a patients mouth
Droplet infection can occur through exposure to aerosol and spatter during dental
procedures and also through: - Coughing and sneezing
According to the CDC, instruments should be packaged before sterilization, unless they
will be: - Used immediately after they have been sterilized
When a used needle is removed from a syringe during treatment, it should be placed: -
In a sharps container in the treatment room
Sharps containers should be replaced when: - The contents reach the fill line on the
container
, What type of water or irrigant should be used during surgical procedures? - Sterile water
or saline
If the dental assistant suspects that the sterility of a multiple-dose medication vile has
been compromised, he or she should: - Discard the vile in an appropriate container
Chemicals can enter the human body by - Inhalation, absorption through the skin,
eating or swallowing them
What should be done to the instrument packages just before they are opened for use on
the patient? - Check them for tears or punctures
Using an ultrasonic cleaning basket reduces the direct handling of instruments, allows
for easy placement into and removal from the cleaning solution, facilitates rinsing of the
cleaned instruments, and: - Raises the instruments off the bottom of the tank to provide
optimal cleaning
The appropriate parameters for unsaturated chemical sterilization are: - 20 minutes at
270 degrees Fahrenheit
The appropriate parameters for static air dry heat sterilization of packaged items are: -
60 minutes at 320 degrees Fahrenheit
A key advantage of using an unsaturated chemical vapor sterilizer is that it: - Does not
cause rust or corrosion like a steam autoclave
Flash sterilization can be achieved in a steam autoclave by: - Using a shorter time and a
higher temperature
To help prevent rust or corrosion of items in a steam autoclave, the instruments should
be ______ before they are placed in the autoclave: - Dried
Instrument packs must always be allowed to dry before handling, because the wet
paper may tear and the: - Paper may draw or "wick" microorganisms into the package
The possible drawback to using an unsaturated chemical vapor sterilizer is that it can: -
Expose the dental team to the chemical vapor
According to the CDC, immersion in a chemical sterilant is not recommended for items
that can withstand heat sterilization because: - Chemical sterilants cannot be monitored
with a biological indicator
OSHA requires infection control training records to be kept on file in a dental practice
for: - 3 years
