Proper sterilization is an essential part of infection prevention in the dental office. But how do you know your sterilizer is working properly? The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends three types of sterilization monitoring – mechanical,…
Are Maine Dental Offices Required to Perform Spore Testing? Yes — and Maine's rule stands out in this guide for how specific it gets about federal OSHA compliance, not just infection control. Under 02-313 C.M.R. ch. 12, § I(A) —…
Are Idaho Dental Offices Required to Perform Spore Testing? Yes — and Idaho states the interval directly in the rule text, the same conditional structure Oregon uses. Under IDAPA 24.31.01, Rule 200.09, "heat sterilizing devices must be tested each calendar…
Arkansas dental practices are required to monitor their sterilizers with biological spore tests as part of the state's infection control standards. The authority comes from Article XV of the Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners Rules (Rule 038.00.07-001), which sets…
Louisiana dental practices must run biological spore tests on every autoclave to verify sterilization. The requirement comes directly from the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry under Louisiana Administrative Code Title 46, Part XXXIII, Chapter 12, §XXXIII-1206, which mandates that each…
The August 2026 issue of Dental Bytes covers a broad range of topics relevant to dental professionals — from foundational infection control protocols to new federal agency guidance on amalgam coverage, a significant FDA approval for over-the-counter pain relief, and…
Welcome to the August 2026 issue of Dental Bytes, the OSHA Review monthly newsletter keeping dental professionals current on compliance news and regulatory updates. This post is part of our Dental Bytes eNewsletter 2026 hub, where you can access each…
Infection prevention and control are among the most important responsibilities in every dental practice. Patients trust that their care will be delivered in a safe environment, and maintaining that trust requires every member of the dental team to consistently follow…
Are New Mexico Dental Offices Required to Perform Spore Testing? Yes — and New Mexico's infection control rule is unusual for citing four separate authorities by name rather than relying on CDC guidance alone. 16.5.1.16 NMAC, titled "Control and Prevention…
Are Connecticut Dental Offices Required to Perform Spore Testing? Yes — and Connecticut is one of the few states in this guide where the CDC-compliance standard was written directly into the disciplinary statute itself, by the legislature, rather than adopted…
