PRECLINICAL DH INFECTION CONTROL TRAINING EXAM 85
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS 2024-2025 LATEST
UPDATE//ALREADY GRADED A+
1.All of the following statements are correct with respect to sterilization and levels of disinfection except
which one?
A. Sterilization is a validated process that destroys all forms of microbial life.
B. High-level disinfection kills all pathogens but not all bacterial spores.
C. Intermediate-level disinfection kills mycobacteria, all nonlipid or small viruses (e.g., polio), all fungi, all
vegetative bacteria, and all lipid or medium-size viruses (e.g., HBV, HIV), but not bacterial kill spores.
D. Low-level disinfection kills some nonlipid or small viruses (e.g., polio), some fungi, all vegetative
bacteria, and all lipid or medium-size viruses (e.g., HBV, HIV). - ANSWER-C. Intermediate-level
disinfection kills mycobacteria, all nonlipid or small viruses (e.g., polio), all fungi, all vegetative
bacteria, and all lipid or medium-size viruses (e.g., HBV, HIV), but not bacterial kill spores.
2. Which of the following statements best describes Spaulding's classification of patient-care items?
A. During the course of their intended use, critical items penetrate soft and hard sterile tissues or the
vascular system.
B. During the course of their intended use, semi-critical items contact, but do not penetrate nonintact
skin or mucous membranes.
C. During the course of their intended use, non-critical items come in contact with intact skin, but not
mucous membranes.
D. All of the above are correct. - ANSWER-D. All of the above are correct.
3. All of the following statements related to critical or semi-critical, or non-critical patient-care items are
correct except which one?
A. Heat-tolerant critical patient-care items confer a high degree of risk for infection if contaminated with
pathogens and must be sterilized by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared heat sterilizer.
B. Heat-tolerant semi-critical patient-care items, including all dental handpieces, must be heat sterilized.
C. Heat-sensitive critical items must minimally undergo high-level disinfection using an FDA-registered
chemical sterilant/high-level disinfectant.
,D. Unless visibly soiled, for non-critical items disposable barrier protection is the preferred infection
control method during their use. - ANSWER-C. Heat-sensitive critical items must minimally undergo
highlevel disinfection using an FDA-registered chemical sterilant/high-level disinfectant.
4. Which of the following statements related to critical or semi-critical, or non-critical patient-care items
is correct?
A. Heat tolerant critical and semi-critical items must be sterilized by steam, unsaturated chemical vapor,
or dry heat.
B. Heat-sensitive critical items can be sterilized by ethylene oxide or by immersing them in liquid
chemical germicides registered by the FDA as chemical sterilants.
C. Non-critical items, when visibly soiled, must be disinfected with an EPA-registered hospital level
intermediate-level disinfectant.
D. All of the above are correct. - ANSWER-D. All of the above.
5. All of the following statements with respect to steam sterilizers are correct except which one?
A. Steam sterilization (autoclaving) is the most widely used method for wrapped and unwrapped critical
and semi-critical items that are not heat and moisture sensitive.
B. To kill microorganisms, steam sterilization requires exposure of each item to direct steam contact at a
specified temperature and pressure for a defined period of time.
C. The majority of tabletop sterilizers used in oral healthcare settings are gravity displacement sterilizers.
D. Gravity displacement steam sterilizers should be tested daily for adequate air removal. - ANSWER-D.
Gravity displacement steam sterilizer should be tested daily for adequate air removal.
6. All of the following statements with respect to unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilizers are correct
except which one?
A. Unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilization involves heating a chemical solution, primarily alcohol with
0.23% formaldehyde, in a closed pressurized chamber.
B. The advantage of using unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilization is that the instruments do not have to
be dry before sterilization.
C. When using an unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilizer federal, state and local authorities must be
consulted for hazardous waste disposal requirements.
, D. Unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilization causes less corrosion of carbon steel instruments than steam
sterilization because less water is present during the cycle. - ANSWER-B. The advantage of using
unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilization is that the instruments do not have to be dry before
sterilization.
7. Which of the following statements is correct with respect to dry heat sterilization?
A. Dry heat may be used to sterilize patient-care items that might be damaged by moist heat (e.g., burs
and certain orthodontic instruments).
B. Dry heat has the advantages of low operating cost and being noncorrosive.
C. Dry heat is a prolonged process and the high temperatures required are not suitable for the
sterilization of many instruments and devices.
D. All of the above are correct. - ANSWER-D. All of the above are correct.
8. Which of the following statements is correct with respect to the use of chemical sterilants and
disinfectants?
A. Heat-sensitive critical items must be cleaned and sterilized by immersing them for 3-12 hours in liquid
germicides registered by the FDA as chemical sterilants.
B. Heat-sensitive semi-critical items must minimally undergo high-level disinfection, i.e., they must be
immersed in an FDA-registered chemical sterilant, but for a shorter contact time (≥12 min.).
C. Non-critical patient-care items, when visibly soiled, must be cleaned and disinfected (10-minute
contact time for most products) using an EPA-registered intermediate-level disinfectant with
tuberculocidal claim.
D. All of the above are correct. - ANSWER-D. All of the above are correct
9. Which of the following statements is correct with respect to processing contaminated reusable
patient-care items?
A. There should be a central processing area (CPA) of adequate size with four successive stations for (1)
receiving and cleaning; (2) preparation and packaging; (3) sterilization or disinfection; and (4) storage
of sterilized units.
B. Within CPA, each station should be physically separated to control traffic flow and to contain
contaminants during the process.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS 2024-2025 LATEST
UPDATE//ALREADY GRADED A+
1.All of the following statements are correct with respect to sterilization and levels of disinfection except
which one?
A. Sterilization is a validated process that destroys all forms of microbial life.
B. High-level disinfection kills all pathogens but not all bacterial spores.
C. Intermediate-level disinfection kills mycobacteria, all nonlipid or small viruses (e.g., polio), all fungi, all
vegetative bacteria, and all lipid or medium-size viruses (e.g., HBV, HIV), but not bacterial kill spores.
D. Low-level disinfection kills some nonlipid or small viruses (e.g., polio), some fungi, all vegetative
bacteria, and all lipid or medium-size viruses (e.g., HBV, HIV). - ANSWER-C. Intermediate-level
disinfection kills mycobacteria, all nonlipid or small viruses (e.g., polio), all fungi, all vegetative
bacteria, and all lipid or medium-size viruses (e.g., HBV, HIV), but not bacterial kill spores.
2. Which of the following statements best describes Spaulding's classification of patient-care items?
A. During the course of their intended use, critical items penetrate soft and hard sterile tissues or the
vascular system.
B. During the course of their intended use, semi-critical items contact, but do not penetrate nonintact
skin or mucous membranes.
C. During the course of their intended use, non-critical items come in contact with intact skin, but not
mucous membranes.
D. All of the above are correct. - ANSWER-D. All of the above are correct.
3. All of the following statements related to critical or semi-critical, or non-critical patient-care items are
correct except which one?
A. Heat-tolerant critical patient-care items confer a high degree of risk for infection if contaminated with
pathogens and must be sterilized by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared heat sterilizer.
B. Heat-tolerant semi-critical patient-care items, including all dental handpieces, must be heat sterilized.
C. Heat-sensitive critical items must minimally undergo high-level disinfection using an FDA-registered
chemical sterilant/high-level disinfectant.
,D. Unless visibly soiled, for non-critical items disposable barrier protection is the preferred infection
control method during their use. - ANSWER-C. Heat-sensitive critical items must minimally undergo
highlevel disinfection using an FDA-registered chemical sterilant/high-level disinfectant.
4. Which of the following statements related to critical or semi-critical, or non-critical patient-care items
is correct?
A. Heat tolerant critical and semi-critical items must be sterilized by steam, unsaturated chemical vapor,
or dry heat.
B. Heat-sensitive critical items can be sterilized by ethylene oxide or by immersing them in liquid
chemical germicides registered by the FDA as chemical sterilants.
C. Non-critical items, when visibly soiled, must be disinfected with an EPA-registered hospital level
intermediate-level disinfectant.
D. All of the above are correct. - ANSWER-D. All of the above.
5. All of the following statements with respect to steam sterilizers are correct except which one?
A. Steam sterilization (autoclaving) is the most widely used method for wrapped and unwrapped critical
and semi-critical items that are not heat and moisture sensitive.
B. To kill microorganisms, steam sterilization requires exposure of each item to direct steam contact at a
specified temperature and pressure for a defined period of time.
C. The majority of tabletop sterilizers used in oral healthcare settings are gravity displacement sterilizers.
D. Gravity displacement steam sterilizers should be tested daily for adequate air removal. - ANSWER-D.
Gravity displacement steam sterilizer should be tested daily for adequate air removal.
6. All of the following statements with respect to unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilizers are correct
except which one?
A. Unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilization involves heating a chemical solution, primarily alcohol with
0.23% formaldehyde, in a closed pressurized chamber.
B. The advantage of using unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilization is that the instruments do not have to
be dry before sterilization.
C. When using an unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilizer federal, state and local authorities must be
consulted for hazardous waste disposal requirements.
, D. Unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilization causes less corrosion of carbon steel instruments than steam
sterilization because less water is present during the cycle. - ANSWER-B. The advantage of using
unsaturated chemical-vapor sterilization is that the instruments do not have to be dry before
sterilization.
7. Which of the following statements is correct with respect to dry heat sterilization?
A. Dry heat may be used to sterilize patient-care items that might be damaged by moist heat (e.g., burs
and certain orthodontic instruments).
B. Dry heat has the advantages of low operating cost and being noncorrosive.
C. Dry heat is a prolonged process and the high temperatures required are not suitable for the
sterilization of many instruments and devices.
D. All of the above are correct. - ANSWER-D. All of the above are correct.
8. Which of the following statements is correct with respect to the use of chemical sterilants and
disinfectants?
A. Heat-sensitive critical items must be cleaned and sterilized by immersing them for 3-12 hours in liquid
germicides registered by the FDA as chemical sterilants.
B. Heat-sensitive semi-critical items must minimally undergo high-level disinfection, i.e., they must be
immersed in an FDA-registered chemical sterilant, but for a shorter contact time (≥12 min.).
C. Non-critical patient-care items, when visibly soiled, must be cleaned and disinfected (10-minute
contact time for most products) using an EPA-registered intermediate-level disinfectant with
tuberculocidal claim.
D. All of the above are correct. - ANSWER-D. All of the above are correct
9. Which of the following statements is correct with respect to processing contaminated reusable
patient-care items?
A. There should be a central processing area (CPA) of adequate size with four successive stations for (1)
receiving and cleaning; (2) preparation and packaging; (3) sterilization or disinfection; and (4) storage
of sterilized units.
B. Within CPA, each station should be physically separated to control traffic flow and to contain
contaminants during the process.
