Infection Control · single question
What is the level of particle filtration protection provided by standard surgical masks used in a dental clinic setting?
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Correct answer: D. 95% particle filtration
- A. 99% filtration describes N99 respirators, not standard surgical masks used in dental clinic settings.
- B. 65% filtration is not the standard for surgical masks used in dental settings — standard dental masks exceed this performance threshold.
- C. 80% filtration does not correspond to a standard category of dental surgical mask performance ratings.
- D. CORRECT. Standard ASTM Level 2 and Level 3 surgical/procedure masks used in dental settings provide at least 95% bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) and particle filtration efficiency (PFE) for particles ≥1 µm. For higher-level protection against airborne pathogens, N95 respirators are required, which filter at least 95% of airborne particles including smaller aerosols.
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