The Philippine Dental Association has approximately 15,000 members who presumably are into the practice of dentistry. This does not include practicing dentists who at present are not members of the Philippine Dental Association. On top of this number are the other dental personnel working in the dental office as part of the dental team or the administrative staff. This constitutes a significant number of persons who are at high risk of contracting a disease through constant exposure to infected materials and procedures.

The Dental Health Care Providers (DHCP), by nature of their work, are placed in high-risk positions of contracting infection and transmitting infection to other people within their workplace and even outside. The exponential rate by which infection can be transmitted warrants that a policy covering infection control be established.

It becomes necessary not only to establish guidelines regarding prevention of infection within the confines of the workplace but also to protect the community from the biologic wastes that we dispose of.