What is the purpose of the chair-side assistant’s glove-transfer technique?

• A. To recruit new patients.
• B. To protect the assistant's hands from heat.
• C. To maintain a sterile field while handing instruments to the dentist.
• D. To reduce the need for hand washing.

Answer: (C)

Maintaining a sterile field during instrument exchange is the key idea here. The glove-transfer technique lets the chair-side assistant hand instruments to the dentist without breaking sterility, so the sterile surfaces stay uncontaminated and the patient is protected from infection. By using gloved hands to transfer instruments in a controlled, aseptic way, both the assistant and dentist can work efficiently without touching non-sterile surfaces. This supports safe, predictable workflow during procedures. It isn’t about recruiting patients, protecting against heat, or reducing hand washing—hand hygiene and aseptic transfer remain essential, and the technique specifically supports keeping everything sterile while passing instruments.