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.
So now more than ever protection for patients and practices is crucial. That is why it is so important for surgeries to have the right equipment in place that they can count on; equipment that removes all traces of biological waste effectively and, in the cases of busy surgeries, quickly.
In this market, it’s no surprise that there are many companies out there offering countless decontamination devices. This is expensive kit, so it pays to do a little homework if a dental practice is considering upgrading their present equipment. Here are a few pointers so that dentists can make sure they invest their money wisely to create a better and safer practice – and perhaps even look at how their current devices measure up.
Make sure washer disinfectors make the grade. There are quite a number of washer disinfectors available. There needs to be checks made to ensure the washer conforms to EN15883, HTM2030, HTM01-05 and the Medical Devices Directive (93/42/EEC) and that it is CE marked.
Handpieces
Sterilising dental instruments such as handpieces isn’t something dentists should consider cutting corners on. Leave it to chance by using a non-vacuum autoclave and the risk that the handpiece is not sterile is much greater. To help ensure the handpiece is clean and lubricated correctly, it’s worth looking for a device that uses compressed air. This is essential to remove as much water, debris and excess oil as possible from the instrument allowing immediate preparation for sterilisation, and results in 100 per cent effective dental handpiece processing.
Autoclaves
A vacuum autoclave is required to sterilise pouched, hollow or porous instruments. Non-vacuum autoclaves are only suitable for unwrapped, solid items. This is quite clearly stated and is not open to interpretation, so choosing an autoclave that can offer both types of cycle is usually the best option.
Not all autoclaves have a self-checking functionality but this feature can prove invaluable. It means that every cycle is sure to meet the specification needed for sterilisation – and dentists have one less thing to think about.
Support
A robust and reliable support system is also important. Let’s face it, breakdowns can happen at any time. Dentists need to know that they will be up and running again sooner rather than later. Without sterilisation equipment there can be no work, which could prove costly. It makes financial sense to think about which companies have the nationwide coverage to offer a 24-hour response service. That way, dentists have the extra reassurance of knowing that they won’t be out of action for long.
Product service
In an ideal world, equipment should be regularly serviced by people who know that specific product in detail. If not, then there’s a good chance of repeat failure. Using dedicated engineers who possess the in-depth know-how for the make and model, inside and out, makes sense. They’re more likely to have immediate access to original spare parts if needed, and their experience and expertise will mean that the actual service may take less time to do. Any decrease in equipment downtime is sure to prove welcome to surgeries.
Getting safe, reliable and fully supported decontamination equipment is vital for today’s dental practices to survive. After all, having equipment that is doing its job properly makes it easier for everyone to do theirs.