The Infection Control Exam (ICE) is a component exam required as part of a few different certification exams in dental assisting. The material covered in the exam is based on the CDC guidelines and practices and OSHA standards. By passing this exam, candidates demonstrate that they are skilled and qualified in the infection control duties that come with working as a dental assistant.
How Do I Register for the ICE?
The Infection Control Exam is just one component of a given set of certification exams. This means you won’t register for the ICE on its own. Instead, you will submit an application for the certificate that you are trying to achieve. Once you have established that you meet the eligibility criteria for that certificate, you will receive approval to test.
At that point, you will be able to schedule appointments for the various component exams you need to take, including the ICE.
When scheduling your exams, take care to space them out in a way that gives you time to study and prepare for each one. For the ICE itself, you will want at least one or two weeks to devote to reviewing all the standards and procedures that you will be tested on.
How Long Does the ICE Take?
You will have a 5 minute tutorial to familiarize yourself with the computer administered test, 5 minutes for questions or comments, and 75 minutes for the test itself. That gives you less than a minute (about 45 seconds) per question. So you really want to work on your speed and time management skills when you are preparing for this test. It’s not enough to know all the material. You need to be able to recall and apply it instantaneously.
What Subjects Will Be Covered on the ICE?
There are four domains of knowledge and practice for a total of 100 multiple choice questions. Take a look at the brief overview below to learn more about what you will be expected to know on the day of the exam:
- Standard Procedure for the Prevention of Disease Transmission – 20 Questions
- Identify infectious diseases and their effects on patients and occupational risk.
- Knowledge of how to review medical history and prevent undesired reactions during patient care.
- Knowledge of proper hand hygiene procedures before, during and after oral surgery and other procedures.
- Understand how to minimize risk to patients and operators through the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Knowledge of how to protect patients and operators through minimization of aerosol, droplets and spatter.
- Prevent Cross-Contamination During Procedures – 34 Questions
- Demonstrate understanding of how to prevent cross-contamination by maintaining aseptic conditions for procedures and services.
- Identify modes of disease transmission.
- Clean and disinfect clinical treatment areas and equipment.
- Clean and disinfect radiological areas and equipment.
- Use aseptic techniques for radiographic images.
- Instrument and Device Processing – 26 Questions
- Processing reusable dental instruments and devices.
- How to monitor and maintain processing equipment and sterilizers (ultrasonic cleaner, autoclave, etc.).
- Occupational Safety and Administrative Protocols – 20 Questions
- Occupational safety standards and guidelines for personnel.
- How to maintain and document programs and policies for infection control and safety.
What Is the Minimum Passing Score for the Infection Control Exam?
The test uses a computer adaptive testing technique to select questions for you. This system ranks questions by difficulty level. So the first question you’ll see will be at the passing standard level (a difficulty level of 400). If you answer correctly, the next question will be slightly more difficult. If you answer incorrectly, the next question will be slightly easier. As long as you are able to maintain an average difficulty level of 400 or higher across all 100 questions, you will pass the exam.
How Should I Prepare for the Infection Control Exam?
In order to make sure you are getting a comprehensive overview of these standards and procedures, you should get a study guide that is tailored to this specific test. That’s where the Mometrix Study Guide comes in. Created by a team of experts, this guide provides clear and engaging explanations of all the core concepts you need to know. Rather than reading through tedious legal jargon or pouring through a giant stack of textbooks, you can get all of that information distilled and laid out in easy to follow chapters.
In addition to reviewing the material in this study guide, use the Mometrix Flashcards to work on really absorbing and memorizing those procedures and standards. Flashcards make for a more interactive and creative approach to studying. You can create educational games, have your friends help you study, and take the cards with you to squeeze in mini study sessions on the go.
