As a dental office, one of our top priorities is to provide a clean, sterile and safe environment for our patients! We take great care to ensure that our office meets and exceeds all of the industry standards for sterilization and infection control. In this blog post, we'll discuss the steps we take to keep our patients safe and healthy.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
The first line of defense against infection is personal protective equipment (PPE). All of our dental professionals wear PPE, including gloves, masks, and eyewear, to protect themselves and our patients from the spread of infection. PPE is always changed between patients to prevent the spread of any bacteria or viruses.
Disinfection Procedures
We use medical-grade disinfectants (CaviCide) to clean and disinfect all surfaces in our office, including chairs, tables, and all dental equipment. We pay special attention to high-touch areas, such as doorknobs, light switches, and faucets. Our disinfection procedures exceed the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Sterilization Techniques
In addition to disinfection, we also use sterilization techniques to ensure that all of our instruments and equipment are completely free of any bacteria or viruses. We use an autoclave, which is a device that uses high pressure and high heat to kill any pathogens that may be present on instruments.
Waterline Management
The water lines in dental equipment can harbor bacteria and other pathogens (that suction works hard to remove the bacteria from your mouth!), which is why we take extra care to manage and monitor our water lines. We use special waterline cleaning agents and regularly flush our lines to prevent the growth of biofilm.
Ongoing Training and Education
We prioritize ongoing training and education for our dental professionals to ensure that we are up-to-date on the latest techniques and protocols for sterilization and infection control. Our team regularly attends seminars and training sessions to stay current with industry best practices.
In conclusion, we take our responsibility to keep our patients safe and healthy very seriously. Our comprehensive sterilization and infection control procedures are designed to exceed industry standards and ensure that our patients can trust us to provide them with the best possible care. If you have any questions or concerns about our sterilization and infection control procedures, please don't hesitate to ask.