Microbiology (Greek: mīkros small; bios life), so called because it primarily deals with organisms too small for the naked eye to see, encompasses the study of organisms that cause disease, the host response to infection and ways in which such infection may be prevented. For our purposes the subject can be broadly classified into general, medical and oral microbiology.
Dental students need both a basic understanding of general and medical microbiology, and a detailed knowledge of clinical oral microbiology in order to diagnose oral microbial infections,
which are intimately related to the overall treatment plan for their patients. The dental practitioner should therefore be conversant with all aspects of infection control in the clinical environment, not only to implement infection control measures but also to advise the dental team (dental surgery assistants, dental hygienists and other ancillary personnel) and to allay patients’ unfounded fears.