Surface disinfectant is one of those supplies nobody budgets for. It shows up on every supply order, it gets used after every patient, and it rarely gets a second look. But across a year, and across every operatory in the…
Dental surface disinfection is one of the most important parts of infection control, but it is also one of the most misunderstood. In many offices, products are used quickly, surfaces are wiped too soon, or staff members assume cleaning and…
Cotton “4x4” gauze in containers should never be saturated with disinfectant and left to soak in the disinfectant. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cotton gauze materials that have been saturated with disinfectant solution for an…
One of the current best management practices for managing dental amalgam in wastewater, recommended universally among dental organizations, is the prohibition on the use of dental vacuum line cleaners that promote the release of mercury from the vacuum lines. Specifically,…
All surface disinfectants, i.e. antimicrobials, sold in the United States are regulated under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) because antimicrobials are in fact pesticides. Under FIFRA, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for regulating,…
One factor commonly overlooked in choosing a surface disinfectant is the overall safety of the product to the environment and to staff members who are exposed to it daily over many years. Stronger, i.e. more toxic, disinfectants are not necessarily…
When you consider the decontamination procedures for high-tech equipment, including computers, digital imaging equipment, and intraoral cameras, first and foremost, you should follow the manufacturer's directions. This provides the best results with the least damage to the equipment. In its…
All clinical contact surfaces that are not protected by impervious barriers must be cleaned and disinfected using a low- to intermediate-level hospital disinfectant registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The low-level disinfectants used must be labeled as effective against…
Biofilms are microbial communities that form on the walls of the small-bore plastic tubing that delivers water from the dental unit through the dental handpieces, scalers, and air-water syringes to the patient. Currently, no quantitative water quality standards specific to…
First check the manufacturer’s instruction manual for ultrasonic cleaner maintenance information and recommended testing frequency. If manufacturer’s information is not available, the aluminum foil test, recommended on a monthly basis, is a fast and simple method to check the cleaning…
