Dental Assistant Practice Exam

What type of disinfection is required for semicritical items like plastic impression trays?

1. Low level disinfection

2. Intermediate level disinfection

3. High level disinfection

4. Sterilization

The correct answer is: High level disinfection

Semicritical items, such as plastic impression trays, come into contact with mucous membranes but do not penetrate soft tissue or bone. Therefore, they require a high level of disinfection to effectively reduce the risk of infection transmission. High-level disinfection ensures that even resistant pathogens are eliminated, making it appropriate for tools that have a specific risk of contamination from patient fluids. Low-level disinfection is not sufficient for semicritical items because it does not kill all bacteria and some viruses that may be present on these items. Intermediate-level disinfection might eliminate most pathogens but does not guarantee the destruction of all spores and some resistant strains, which is essential for semicritical devices. Sterilization, on the other hand, provides complete eradication of all microorganisms and is necessary for critical items that come into contact with sterile tissues, but high-level disinfection is adequate for semicritical items that have a lower risk of contamination compared to critical items.