Recognising that all dental care should be provided so as to minimise the risk of healthcare-associated infections and ensure the protection of the environment, CED members adopted a resolution on infection control and waste management in dentistry which sets out principles and policy priorities for European dentists.
Dentists have the obligation to protect their patients and the members of the dental team from the risk of health-associated infections; they should regularly update their knowledge as part of continuous professional development. Dental practices are reminded of the importance of compliance with relevant guidance related to management of infectious and hazardous waste, as laid down by existing national laws, administrative acts and recommendations of dental chambers and associations.
European dentists encourage national dental chambers and associations to develop practical guidance documents, in cooperation with Member States and health competent authorities. Member States and health competent authorities should collaborate with dental chambers and associations and inform dentists about national policies aimed at prevention and control of health-associated infections. To allow dental practices to follow specific protocols for management of contaminated medical devices, CED members support the development of unambiguous rules on reprocessing of single-use devices in the framework of the future EU Regulation on medical devices.