Infection Control · patient case question
The same patient has an urgent need for treatment. What do you do?
Patient case: Patient with active tuberculosis
Scenario: A patient with ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Treat in an isolated room with appropriate airborne-infection controls
- A. Standard precautions do not protect against airborne transmission.
- B. Scheduling at the end of the day is a strategy for CONTACT and droplet precautions; it does not address airborne nuclei that persist in the air.
- C. The emergency department is not equipped for definitive dental care, and referral without the appropriate airborne setting simply moves the exposure risk.
- D. Correct. When treatment CANNOT be deferred, it is provided in a facility with AIRBORNE INFECTION ISOLATION — a negative-pressure room with appropriate air exchanges and HEPA filtration or UV germicidal irradiation, with all staff wearing fit-tested N95 or higher respirators. This is typically a hospital setting rather than a general dental practice.
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