EU disinfectant standards

Effective disinfection of surfaces, instruments and hands has always been critical to minimise infection risks in dental practices. Given the current Covid-19 situation, infection prevention measures will be paramount as practices begin to reopen for routine dentistry. In the current climate, selecting the most appropriate disinfectants and using them correctly will play a vital role.

The main function of a disinfectant lies in its ability to eliminate or inactivate microorganisms. Therefore, a key step in the selection process is ensuring the disinfectant has the required level of biocidal activity.

Disinfection manufacturers provide efficacy data relating to the two key criteria of contact time and required concentration. This data should be based on product testing which is both rigorous and repeatable. In Europe, this means being tested to the European Norms (EN), which remain the ‘gold standard’ tests for disinfectants in the UK. These standards have a number and are ‘version controlled’ by the stated year.