2026 Catalog: All Courses

This is based upon the tip of the week e-mail sent out by DOH the week of December30th, 2025. To gain CDE credit, participants must successfully pass a test [score 80] based upon the reading material.

Reading Materials:
In patient care areas, the concern related to the presence of fans is that the circulation of air created by fans can potentially spread pathogens and contaminants. In an environment where aerosols are being generated, this is of even higher concern.

The risk is both for the patient and the staff:
-   Fan where a patient is having work done in their mouth: dust can be picked up from environmental surfaces, which could then go to the patient [dental care- mouth wide open].
-   Aerosols are created during patient care: aerosols are blown/dispersed by the fan onto more environmental surfaces [further, wider], other areas w/staff or patients. The fan can pick up these contaminants that settle, and further/re-spread the germs to another patient/staff.

Is the HVAC system working properly- can any alterations be made to lower the temperature?
You can also consider the use of cooling vests for staff who are hot while utilizing full PPE.

Fans - Patient Care Areas Joint Commission
If fans are to be considered, a risk assessment should be done, which would consider airborne particles/contamination that may impact patient care. Consider the procedure being done on the patient, the actual space where the care is being provided and where the fan would be used [e.g., is this an open bay or a room where the door can be closed].

The facility's role in infection prevention HFM Magazine
From an infection control perspective, the concerns with fans in patient care areas is the potential to spread contaminants through the air. Particles of aerosolized pathogens often settle onto environmental surfaces in the immediate vicinity. This contamination can lead to a secondary vehicle of transmission or re-aerosolize through human or mechanical activity, such as vacuuming or distribution from the surface of a fan blade.



APIC Text Ch. 110 HVAC ^^

Should we use ceiling fans indoors to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious aerosols? - ScienceDirect
An interesting article about a study done using ceiling fans- which demonstrated increased long range exposure.

Cooling Vests:
Article:
Heat stress mitigation with ice cooling vests in PPE-clad medical workers: Effects of cooling area and gender differences - ScienceDirect

https://www.jointcommission.org/en-us/knowledge-library/support-center/standards-interpretation/standards-faqs/000001276

https://www.hfmmagazine.com/articles/3969-the-facilitys-role-in-infection-prevention:~:text=There20are20no20Joint20Commission,and20sensitive20to20their20needs

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950362024000365

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132323009708

Upon reviewing the NIPCS Tip of the week, you will:
1. Understand the basics of air flow in the dental clinic
2. Know Joint Commission's thoughts on air flow
3. Understand how fans increase infection control risks.

Damon Pope — Deputy Project Manager for the IHS Electronic Dental Record IHS DOH National Infection Control Consultant For follow-up questions, please contact the speaker at damon.pope@ihs.gov.

The speaker has no conflicts of interest to report.

It is the policy of the Indian Health Service, Division of Oral Health, that faculty/planners disclose any financial or other relationships with commercial companies whose products may be discussed in the educational activity. The Indian Health Service, Division of Oral Health, also requires that faculty disclose any unlabeled or investigative use of pharmaceutical products and medical devices. Images that have been falsified or manipulated to misrepresent treatment outcomes are prohibited.

None of the faculty/planners for this activity has a conflict of interest, and there is no use of unlabeled or investigative pharmaceutical products or medical devices. No images have been falsified or manipulated to misrepresent treatment outcomes.The educational objectives, content, and selection of educational methods and instructors are conducted independent of any commercial entity.

The IHS Division of Oral Health is an accredited sponsor of continuing education under the American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP). ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry. Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the IHS at IHS CDE Coordinator or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at CCEPR.ada.org

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Tuition must be paid in full 8 weeks prior to the start date of any course. Request for refunds must be received in writing at least two weeks before the course begins. For each refund request, there will be an administrative charge of $100. No refunds will be made to registrants who fail to attend a course. If IHS CDE program cancels a course, then 100% of the tuition will be refunded.