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Infection Control · single question

When should a patient with LATENT tuberculosis (TB) be seen for dental treatment?

  1. Only in a negative-pressure isolation room
  2. After completing 6 months of isoniazid therapy
  3. When their infection is latent (non-infectious, asymptomatic)
  4. Only in a hospital-based dental clinic
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Correct answer: C. When their infection is latent (non-infectious, asymptomatic)

  • A. Negative-pressure rooms are required for ACTIVE TB patients — not latent TB.
  • B. Completion of full TB therapy before treatment is not required for latent (non-infectious) TB patients.
  • C. Correct. Patients with LATENT TB have dormant infection — they are NOT infectious, have no symptoms, and have a normal chest X-ray. They can be treated with standard precautions in a regular dental setting. ACTIVE TB patients must be deferred until cleared by a physician and treated in an isolation room with N95 masks.
  • D. Hospital-based clinics are not required for latent TB patients.

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