Dental Infection Prevention & Control Manager

Overview

The Dental IPC Manager is responsible for the coordination, implementation, and oversight of infection prevention and control initiatives across all dental services. The role supports continuous surveillance, policy enforcement, education, and quality improvement efforts to reduce infection risk in dental settings, in alignment with CDC, ADA, and state dental board guidance. The Dental IPC Manager collaborates closely with dental clinical leaders, practice managers, dental assistants/hygienists, environmental services, and quality teams to ensure regulatory compliance and uphold a culture of safety and prevention in dental care.

• Manages the daily operations of the dental IPC Program.
• Maintains and updates the Dental IPC Manual, including policies/SOPs for hand hygiene, PPE, instrument reprocessing, dental unit waterlines, environmental cleaning, and safe injection practices.
• Conducts dental‑specific Infection Prevention Risk Assessments (IPRAs) for each service area and updates them at least annually or when services change.
• Ensures that dental personnel involved in infection control activities (including sterilization and reprocessing) are appropriately trained and competent; coordinates ongoing surveillance of established practices.
• Performs direct competency assessments of dental Infection Control Trainers and Competency Reviewers/Auditors.
• Supports standardization of dental infection control practices across all sites, including instrument flow, packaging, sterilization, storage, and documentation, in collaboration with Central Sterilization.
• Monitors and evaluates biological indicator results, sterilizer performance, and dental unit waterline quality; initiates corrective actions for any failures or breaches.
• Identifies, investigates, and documents suspected dental‑associated infections, sterilization failures, or IPC breaches; leads or supports root‑cause analyses and remediation plans.
• Provides infection prevention orientation and ongoing in-service education for dental providers, hygienists, assistants, and support staff as needed.
• Serves as a resource for dental teams and leaders on all IPC‑related questions, including device IFUs, product selection, and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborates with Employee Health on dental staff exposures and communicable disease issues and with
• IPC/Quality on organizational surveillance and reporting.
• Prepares and maintains documentation needed for internal audits, accreditation, and regulatory surveys related to dental infection control.
• Participates in and/or leads committees related to dental infection control, sterilization, and patient safety as directed.
• Supports IP team with additional assignments as needed.

Education

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree (higher degree accepted) in Dental Hygiene
  - Preferred (or)
• Bachelor's Degree (higher degree accepted) in Nursing, Public Health or Microbiology
  - Required (or)
• High School Diploma or equivalent (higher degree accepted) with completion of a Registered Dental Assistant Program or equivalent RDA credential & Dental Infection Prevention Certificate
  - Required

Work Experience:

• 3 years of dental clinical practice experience
  - Required

Licenses &

Certifications:

• Registered Dental Hygienist License
  - Required Upon Hire (or)
• Registered Dental Assistant License
  - Required Upon Hire (and)
• Certified in Infection Control (CIC) - Required within 6 months of Hire