PPE, Hand Hygiene, Uniforms, and Personal Protection

Choose PPE based on the risks of the task, not from habit or a fixed "full PPE" routine. Dental nurses need protection suitable for contaminated instruments, splashes, aerosols, chemicals, and sharps, while avoiding unnecessary PPE for low-risk tasks.

PPE and hygiene points to remember

• Match PPE to the likely exposure from the task, patient, instrument, chemical, or environment.
• Use appropriate gloves for instrument cleaning; ordinary clinical gloves may not be enough for heavy decontamination tasks.
• Use eye and face protection where splashing or spray may occur.
• Use disposable aprons, gowns, respirators, or additional protection only where the SOP or risk assessment requires them.
• Remove PPE carefully and perform hand hygiene after removal.
• Keep uniforms clean and follow local laundry and changing arrangements.

Hand hygiene is required at key moments: before and after treatment sessions, after removing PPE, after manual cleaning, before handling sterilised instruments, after maintaining decontamination devices, and after completing decontamination work. Jewellery, damaged skin, long nails, or unsuitable clothing can interfere with safe practice.

COSHH, occupational health and PPE stock

Good IPC is risk-based: use enough protection for the task, avoid unnecessary overuse, and pause when the risk changes.