Eyes right

Dentistry is a profession full of hazards, and injuries to eyes are no exception. In the modern dental practice, safety concerns must be paramount to avoid injury and litigation. The dental team must be vigilant in wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure their own personal safety and so remain healthy and active in their profession. PPE is designed to protect the skin and the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth of dental healthcare personnel from exposure to blood or other potentially infectious material.

When discussing face and eye protection for decontamination procedures, the Department of Health's Decontamination: Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices (HTM 01-05) states that, during cleaning procedures, there is a risk of contaminated fluids splashing onto the face and into the eyes. Therefore, the dental team should ensure protection of their mucosa from splashes and other contaminated fragments that may escape during these procedures.