[Guidelines for infection control practices for dentistry]

The infectious hazard in the dental offices (surgeries) is a relevant Public Health problem, especially if the large spread of this health practices is considered. The Working Group (WG) "Hygiene in Dentistry" of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health (SItI) deals with the prevention in dental practice. The WG carried out some surveys in order to evaluate both the knowledge of cross-infection hazards in dental personnel and the microbial contamination in dental clinics. The results showed that some aspects of the daily practice could be at high risk for infectious diseases. Therefore, expecting the launch of Italian Guidelines on the infection-control in dental practices, the WG translated and revised the CDC Guidelines for infection control in dental-care settings. This document represents a good practices guide in the management of the dental outpatient.