Keeping it clean

There are few environments more demanding than a busy, modern dental surgery. Yet some surgeries are finding that the busier it becomes, the easier it is to overlook certain aspects of its day-to-day running.

Infection control is one issue dental practitioners need to stay on top of constantly. After all, the consequences of a contamination slip-up can be disastrous. Failings on cleanliness and infection control can lead to the spread of conditions such as HIV, hepatitis and other contagious pathogens. These risks came to the fore in 2009 when, according to a recent published report in the national media, 5,000 patients in Bristol and Bournemouth were encouraged to undergo blood tests for HIV and hepatitis when it emerged a dentist had failed to sterilise the equipment properly.

What’s more, the report went on to claim that a healthcare watchdog inspection found that one in nine practices are in breach of strict guidelines set out to reduce the spread of infection. A worrying thought for patients. It is also worth noting that a compromise in cleanliness could do much more than potentially harm patients. Substandard decontamination could result in a loss of performance for the dental practitioner – and a dubious reputation for their surgery.