What are the most current infection control recommendations for handling extracted specimen teeth in dental educational lab settings?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) addressed this issue inGuidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings, 2003.(1) They state the following: “Extracted teeth that are being discarded are subject to the containerization and labeling provisions outlined by OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard. OSHA considers extracted teeth to be potentially infectious material that should be disposed in medical waste containers. Extracted teeth sent to a dental laboratory for shade or size comparisons should be cleaned, surface-disinfected with an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with intermediate-level activity (i.e., tuberculocidal claim), and transported in a manner consistent with OSHA regulations. However, extracted teeth can be returned to patients on request, at which time provisions of the standard no longer apply. Extracted teeth containing dental amalgam should not be placed in a medical waste container that uses incineration for final disposal. Commercia
