Which of the following infectious conditions of a patient is most likely to infect a member of the dental team during normal chairside work?

The infectious condition that poses the greatest risk of transmission to members of the dental team during normal chairside work is a cold sore lesion, primarily caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Cold sores are highly contagious, especially when active lesions are present. They can easily spread through direct contact with the lesion or through saliva. In a dental setting, where close proximity to patients' mouths occurs, the risk of transmission is substantial if a dental team member unintentionally comes into contact with an active sore or the fluids associated with it.

This highlights the importance of infection control protocols in the dental environment to mitigate the risks of transmission through handwashing, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and patient screening for active lesions. In contrast, while conditions such as hepatitis B and mumps are serious, they are not as easily transmitted through casual contact or during normal procedures as cold sores. Dental caries, being a non-communicable disease resulting from specific dental and bacterial interactions, does not pose a direct infectious risk to team members.