The presence and identification of organisms transmitted to dental laboratories.

The potential for infection of dental personnel in the office and dental laboratory by transmission of microorganisms between dentists' offices and commercial dental laboratories does exist. Sixty-seven percent of all materials sent from dental offices to dental laboratories sampled in four cities were contaminated with bacteria of varying degrees of opportunistic pathogenicity. Dental offices and dental laboratories need to practice adequate infection control procedures to prevent possible cross-contamination.