The course is suitable for dental assistants who have undertaken the weekend (Certificate Program in Infection Control) and who wish to obtain an update of new information which has emerged since that time. It is also designed to act as a one day refresher for staff members and, in particular, to alert them to new disease trends and changes in protocols which reflect national guidelines and standards.

The course is divided into two parts. The morning section addresses the diseases which are attracting significant attention across health care and within dental practice including Hepatitis C Virus infection, multi drug-resistant Tuberculoses, Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection, Avian Influenza, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, infections and diseases caused by prions. The morning section will provide a synopsis of the levels of these diseases in the Australian and Queensland community and will identify the issues of concern for dental practitioners.

The afternoon section of the course will focus on practical aspects of infection control which have changed since the release of the 2004 Infection Control Guidelines and the 2006 Australian Standards on Instrument Reprocessing in the Small Office Setting. The material presented will address in-depth the processes for validation of autoclave parameters and the appropriate use of biological, enzymatic and chemical indicators as part of quality assurance programs for autoclaves. The afternoon section will also include a module on effective design for the instrument reprocessing area which will be of interest to dental practices who are contemplating a redesign for the fitting out of an area for instrument reprocessing in their practices.

Attendance at this course may assist with the assessment in the infection control core module of the MRACDS program of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons.

How does this course apply to you?

All dental practitioners & dental assistants
This course is designed to act as a one day refresher for dentists and, in particular, to alert them to new disease trends and changes in protocols which reflect national guidelines and standards. The course is suitable for practitioners who have undertaken the weekend (Certificate Program in Infection Control) and who wish to obtain an update of new information which has emerged since that time.