What Universal procedures are in place for dental screening?
When a dental hygienist screens a child at school or in a clinic, universal precautions are always followed. In the school setting, the table is cleaned and draped. The dental hygienist uses non-latex or vinyl gloves and protective eyewear to screen and a mask (if needed). The sterilized instruments are placed on tray. A new sterile instrument is used to screen each child. The dental hygienist uses a “no touch” method to screen the child with a mirror. The “no touch” method means only the end of the mirror is placed into the mouth and the dental hygienist holds the handle of the instrument outside the mouth.
