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Infection Control Coordinator
Roles & Responsibilities | Charts & Checklists | Education & Training | Certification | Membership & Networking | Additional Resources
Every office needs at least one assigned Infection Control Coordinator (ICC). As a consultant and/or speaker, you can help educate dental practices and the ICC on their role and responsibilities and collaboratively work together to train other members of the team, and to encourage the safest dental visit and compliance. Training the ICC and providing resources gives them an opportunity to then train their own team members on specific areas of infection control and safety.
An ICC has training in infection prevention and control (IPC) and should be responsible for developing written infection prevention policies and procedures based on evidence-based guidelines, regulations, or standards. The ICC may have responsibilities within a larger job position (safety director, employing dentist, dental assistant, office manager, etc.). At a minimum, the ICC should have a basic understanding of microbiology, modes of transmission, infection prevention and safety procedures, related governmental regulations and recommendations, and products and equipment available to maintain patient and provider safety.
Expert Tip
Use checklists to help monitor performance and compliance with the IPC program. The ICC should use checklists for repeatable, recurring processes (e.g., instrument processing); process groups (e.g., dental unit waterline treatment); and audit checklists (e.g., biological indicator monitoring, hand hygiene, use of PPE).
Use checklists to identify areas that need improvement, with a focus on process improvement rather than assigning blame to individuals. State Boards also use audit checklists for compliance with the procedures involved in infection control and prevention and may be available online
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Specific roles include but are not limited to the following:
- Lead in policy development, implementation, and monitoring and review and update written policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and other documents
- Use credible sources (e.g., CDC, OSHA, EPA), assess expected outcomes
- Maintain relevant regulatory and guidance documents and make sure these are available to all personnel (e.g., Bloodborne Pathogens Standard; PPE (general requirements))
- Maintain current related permits, licenses, and other documents (e.g., training, sterilization, medical and other records and logs)
- Generate/update/maintain logs of (other) safety-related records (e.g., manifests from medical waste haulers, radiographic equipment certifications)
- Act as a resource on infection control/prevention for the team or organization
- Provide infection control (and OSHA-mandated) training and education
- Monitor compliance by observation, sterilization logs, checklists, other methods
- Confirm employee immunizations are current, supplies/equipment ordering systems are in place.
Roles & Responsibilities
Infection Control in Practice (ICIP)
PowerPoints
Articles
- Role of the Infection Prevention Coordinator (Kathy J. Eklund, RDH, MHP, February 2020)
- The Role of the Infection-Control Coordinator (Leslie Canham, CDA, RDA, January 2010)
- Why Your Practice Needs an Infection Control Coordinator (Leslie E. Grant, DDS, MSPA, June 2017)
- Roles of the Infection Control Coordinator (Marie T. Fluent, DDS, June 2017)
Additional Resources
CDC DentalCheck Mobile App
Encourage the ICC and other dental team members trained in infection prevention to use this app at least annually to assess the status of their administrative policies and practices, and also engage in direct observation of personnel and patient-care practices.
The app is developed from the Infection Prevention Checklist for Dental Settings (fillable form).
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Charts & Checklists
Education & Training
In-Person Course & Conference
- ADS Dental Infection Control Boot Camp™- foundational level course in dental IPC and patient safety. The course takes place once a year in January.
- ADS Annual Conference - conference covers topics relevant to dental IPC, occupational health, and patient safety, including evolving guidance, compliance, and emerging IPC and safety issues. The conference takes place once a year in May/June.
Dental Infection Prevention and Control Certificate™
Dental Infection Prevention and Control Certificate™ - as a consultant/speaker you should complete this comprehensive, online, baseline educational program. You can also encourage your clients and audiences to complete it as well, as it is intended for all dental team members, including dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental laboratory technicians, ICCs, and practice managers who want to learn more about dental IPC. The certificate was developed by the ADS and the DALE Foundation.
Online Courses & Webinars
- ADS-DALE Foundation Online Courses - ADS has developed several online courses with the DALE Foundation. These courses are available for purchase on the DALE Foundation website.
- CDC Foundations: Building the Safest Dental Visit - provides an overview of the basic expectations for safe care—the principles of infection prevention and control that form the basis for CDC recommendations for dental healthcare settings. Learners who complete the training are eligible for 3 CE Credits provided by ADS.
- CDC Hand Hygiene Interactive Training - intended for healthcare providers and reviews key concepts of hand hygiene and Standard Precautions.
InfoBites
The weekly InfoBites help take some of the effort out of staying up-to-date. It provides relevant short summaries of the latest news related to patient safety and infection control worldwide.
Workbooks & Textbook
PowerPoint Slides
Videos
Certification
Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control® (CDIPC®) - is a professional certification that is intended for all dental team members who implement federal infection prevention and control standards and guidelines in dental settings; educators and supervisors of those dental team members; corporate educators; and consultants providing information on implementing federal infection prevention and control guidelines in dental settings.
For more information for yourself or clients/audiences, visit dentalinfectioncontrol.org for more information.
Membership & Networking
Encourage your clients/audiences to become ADS members!
- ADS Membership
- Individual Memberships
- Basic – $75/yr. (not eligible for discounts on ADS-related events or store items)
- Premium – $120/yr.
- Student – FREE (Click here to learn more!)
- Group Memberships
- Professional Practice I – up to 10 team members – $200/yr.
- Professional Practice II – 11 - 300 team members–$1,500/yr.
Additional Resources
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Association for Dental Safety (ADS), formerly known as the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP)
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