Are you cleaning your handpieces properly?
Have you been wiping down your handpieces with surface disinfectant wipes post-appointment? According to CDC infection control guidelines, this practice isn’t enough to ensure proper infection control. Dental handpieces and attachments, like prophy angles and low-speed motors, need to be heat sterilized after every patient.
According the CDC: “Although these devices are considered semicritical, studies have shown that their internal surfaces can become contaminated with patient materials during use. If these devices are not properly cleaned and heat sterilized, the next patient may be exposed to potentially infectious materials.”
Autoclaving your handpieces between patients lets you clean both the inner and outer surfaces of the equipment. Disinfectant wipes don’t clean at this level so they won’t protect against cross-contamination.
Are your infection control guidelines clear?
All patient care items and dental devices have their own specific instructions for safe handling, containing and transporting. When you’re dealing with reusable supplies that come into contact with blood or bodily fluids, it’s crucial that your staff can easily access and understand the manufacturer’s instructions for reprocessing them. For more up-to-date infection control advice for your practice at a glance, visit the CDC’s Infection Prevention & Control Guidelines & Recommendations.
Do you have the right equipment?
Keeping your patients safe depends in part on using effective dental supplies as well as quality infection control equipment. Need to restock or replace your handpieces? Explore Low Speed Handpieces like the Nupro Freedom™ Cordless Low Speed Handpiece. The electric motor reduce noise and vibration, providing a more pleasant polishing experience for both the patient and the clinician. Additionally, Nupro Freedom Handpieces have a sterilizable outer sheath and are fully compliant with the CDC Sterilization Guidelines.
You’re also sure to find budget-friendly sterilizing equipment that meet your Autoclaves & Sterilizers needs.
When you heat sterilize your handpieces, keep up-to-date on the CDC’s infection control recommendations, and adopt a consistent infection control protocol in your office, you keep your patients safe. For more dental industry news and tips, take a tour of our blog!
