The Clean Bite: Real Talk About Infection Control — From the Classroom to the Operatory

Welcome back to The Clean Bite! I’m your host, Sherrie, and today we’re diving deep into a hot topic in the dental world—infection control, and why classroom training matters now more than ever.

With the current shortage of dental assistants and hygienists, many dental offices are hiring team members with little to no prior training, opting for on-the-job training (OJT). But is that setting them—and the office—up for success?

To get the scoop, I sat down with my good friend Samantha (SAM) Mangioni, BS, CDA, a seasoned dental assistant and instructor at FIRST Institute in Illinois. Sam is the ultimate Infection Control Hype Woman, and she's got some real talk for us about what it takes to build strong habits in the next generation of dental assistants.

Meet Sam Mangioni, BS, CDA: Infection Control Queen and Instructor Extraordinaire

Sherrie: Sam, tell us a little about yourself!

Sam: Let me tell you something about being a dental assisting instructor: You never stop cleaning, checking, and (lovingly) nagging.

I’m the infection control queen of our classroom—part educator, part drill sergeant, part hype woman. And when you’re teaching future dental assistants how to survive and thrive in the real world, infection control is nonnegotiable. It’s not just gloves and masks; it’s a mindset.

Day One: Infection Control Isn’t Optional

Sherrie: What’s one of the first things you teach your students?

Sam: Infection control starts from Day One. We don’t just talk about it—we live it. I’m constantly reminding students that what feels “extra” in school is the bare minimum in the real world.

I do glove checks, cross-contamination quizzes, and throw in the occasional, “Did you just touch that with your dirty glove?!” It’s all love, but it’s also about building habits that stick.

Teaching the "Why" Behind the Wipes

Sherrie: I love that you make it fun, but do the students really get how important this is?

Sam: One thing people often overlook is the “why.” I always bring it back to the patient. When you remember there’s a real human in that chair trusting you with their health, it changes how you move.

It’s not just about routine—it’s about respect. We talk about commonly missed areas like the back of the patient chair, the X-ray button, and that one drawer handle nobody wipes. I let them make mistakes in class, so they don’t make them in [the] clinic.

Staying Updated & Teaching Real-World Compliance

Sherrie: Infection control is always evolving. How do you stay current and ensure your program does too?

Sam: I stay connected with other instructors and dental [professionals] to stay in compliance with the latest OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] guidelines. For example, you can’t expose someone during a teaching session unless they’re actually receiving treatment. That means every [demonstration] must be safe, sterile, and compliant.

In our classroom, we use Sterisil straws, disposable items whenever possible, and always date-stamp our sterilization pouches. We also go over all the small (but crucial!) details, like proper pouch sealing, avoiding overstuffing, and spore testing. These may seem small, but they can make or break patient safety.

Student Stories from the Real World

Sherrie: When I was in [dental assistant] school, I started working in an office. Do your students have that experience, and do they bring stories back?

Sam: Oh, yeah, and some of them are horror stories. Students working in offices often come back shocked. It’s a huge wake-up call and becomes a powerful teaching moment in class. It reinforces why we’re so strict in the lab and why being “just the assistant” means being the first line of defense for patient safety.

Final Thoughts from Sam

Sam: We laugh, we learn, and we sanitize everything in sight. Infection control isn’t just a box to check. It’s a culture we’re building in the classroom and beyond, and if I have to be a little dramatic to get that point across? Mission accepted.

Wrapping Up

Huge thanks to my pal Sam for joining me on this episode of The Clean Bite. If you’d like more info about her program, head over to FIRST Institute and check them out!

Until next time, friends—

Stay informed. Stay clean. Stay safe.

— Sherrie, The Clean Bite