Soap should be applied to wet hands to minimise the risk of irritation and handwashing should be performed under running water.
Hands should be dried after washing as wet surfaces transfer micro-organisms more easily; plus there is a greater risk of skin damage if hands are not dried.
Bar soap has the potential to harbour microbes and hence liquid soap is preferable.
Hand hygiene is required for decontamination of dental instruments, as wearing of gloves is not a substitute for good hand hygiene.
Ideally, all jewellery would be removed prior to cleaning hands with any hand cleaning material for clinical work. However, because of social reasons it is acceptable for a plain wedding band to be left on. This does, however, increase the risk of skin irritation under the ring so special care should be taken to ensure the skin is washed and thoroughly dried.