What is Dental Sterilization?
Dental sterilization is the process in which we keep our practice safe for our patients, including preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses due to cross-contamination or person-to-person contact. We want to make sure that our patients know that we are dedicated to keeping them safe.
There are many standards applicable to the practice of keeping our office space, exam rooms, equipment, and tools in the best shape possible for our patients. At our office, we are proud to utilize the safety standards from the Centers for Disease Control and the American Dental Association. These organizations are the top authorities when it comes to dental safety and sanitization.
What Tools are Used to Keep Patients Safe?
We hope our patients recognize that they are in excellent care when they come to our office. We use the following tools to keep each and every one of our patients safe:
- Hand washing : We use disinfectant soap and water every single time we wash our hands. We’re practicing hand washing on a regular basis as well as between each patient we see.
- Personal protective equipment : Our personal protective equipment — called PPE for short — is how we protect you from pathogens. We wear gloves, face masks, face shields, and other PPE to keep you safe — and we change out our equipment between every appointment.
- Surface sanitization : We’re focused on keeping every surface safe. That includes regularly wiping down high-traffic areas to cleaning each exam room and replacing the plastic covering on equipment that we used.
- Dental autoclave : Our dental autoclave utilizes steam and pressure to thoroughly sanitize all of our dental instruments.
- Disinfectant chemicals : For dental instruments that do not tolerate the high heat of the autoclave, we use a chemical process to rid them of pathogens.
- Disposable instruments : In many cases, the instruments we use are brand new for each patient. Single-use instruments are effective in limiting infections because they are disposed of after each use.
- Patient screening : We ask that you call us ahead of your appointment if you are experiencing any worrisome symptoms, including fever or coughing. We’ll help figure out a plan of action to get you the care that you need.
How is the Office Cleaned?
Keeping our office in the best shape possible is our priority. We want each of our patients to come to their appointment not having to worry about anything. From keeping everything in our office clean and sanitized to offering quality dental care, a clean office is just one of the ways we keep a smile on our patients’ faces.
We deep clean our office on a regular basis. Between those deep cleanings, we have assigned team members to wipe down and disinfect surfaces that are prone to be touched often, such as doors, the reception area and waiting area, and the bathroom. We use the most effective disinfectant cleaner and tools recommended by industry standards. Plus, we always keep in mind that the best tool we have against fighting disease is prevention. That’s why keeping our office clean is key in limiting infection.
If you’ve been putting off going to the dentist because you’ve been concerned about sterilization and sanitization practices, not to worry. Our thorough practices make for a clean and safe office for both our team and all our patients.
Especially if you have been experiencing worrying dental symptoms, including pain, tooth fractures, or other situations that may be considered emergencies, we are here for you. Do not hesitate to give our office a call today — we can help!