Infection control is a central concept in every healthcare provider practice. Its main objective is to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases both by patients and healthcare personnel (Martin et al., 2010). In dental clinics, infection control is a constant concern for its professionals. They must regularly contact patients and be exposed to their blood, saliva, dental plaque and pus which may contain infectious pathogens. It is important that dental professionals treat these fluids as if they were infectious and special care should be taken when handling them. In this essay, I will highlight the scope of infection control practices in dental clinics and the modes of transmission of infectious microorganisms in the dental clinic. I will also talk about some infection control guidelines implemented in dental clinics and how they meet patient needs. Finally, from a personal perspective, I will mention some factors that affect the implementation of infection control guidelines and procedures. The scale of the problem: Due to their direct contact with patients, health care team personnel are exposed to a higher risk of contracting diseases. Specifically, this risk becomes more potential for teams of dental professionals if it is known that most human microbial pathogens are isolated from oral secretions. They can cause serious illnesses that can be transmitted from patients to staff, and vice versa (Bednarsh & Molinri, 2010). In the 1970s and early 1980s, results showed that dental professionals tended to suffer more from certain infectious diseases than the general public due to their exposure to the blood and saliva of their patients (Bednarsh and Molinri , 2010). Disease, such as hepatitis...... middle of article ......rnal of Hospital Infection, 74, 99-111.Martin, M., Fulford, M. and Preston, T. ( 2009). Infection control for the dental team. London: Quintessence Publishing Co. Molinari, J. and Hart, J. (2010). How to choose and use environmental surface disinfectants. Cottone's Practical Infection Control in Dentistry (Third edition ed., pp. 185-193). Philadelphia: Wolters Kumar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Phinney, D.J. and Halstead, J. (2004). Delmar Dental Assisting Instructor's Manual: A Comprehensive Approach (2nd ed.). Florence, KY: Thomson/Delmar Learning. Rautemaa, R., Nordberg, A., Wuolijoki-Saaristo, K. and Meurman, J. (2006). Bacterial aerosols in dental practice – a potential hospital infection problem? Journal of Hospital Infection, 64(1), 67-81. Szymanska, J. (2005). Microbiological risk factors in dentistry. Ann Agric Environ Med, 12, 157-163.