Simple steps to compliance

The regulatory regime for infection control in the dental profession has been through a great deal of change and dental practices are being bombarded with information from all directions. So it's not surprising that there is still a considerable amount of confusion in many practices as to just what their obligations are. But actually, when you distill it all down, it's really quite simple.

The Health Act 2008 is not optional, it is the Law. Part 2 of the Code of Practice on the Prevention and Control of Infections is simply a set of criteria for compliance with the Health Act 2008. What is optional is whether you implement these criteria via the guidelines laid down in HTM01-05 or through another method. If you choose an alternative method you must prove it is just as effective as HTM01-05.

Of course, upgrading instrument decontamination equipment represents a significant investment for the practice so dentists want to be assured that whatever model they buy now will also satisfy best practice requirements so that they are as 'future proofed' as possible. There are a myriad of options available and many choices to make when deciding on the right equipment to buy.