For decades, instrument reprocessing guidelines for dental practices have differed from those in larger healthcare settings. However, a new AAMI (Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation) Working Group began working in 2021 to create guidelines for dental instrument processing based on best practices in the ST79 standard used in healthcare facilities.
If you've been watching the news you know that infection prevention is top of mind. Moreover, it’s still flu season, and the CDC estimates that there have been between 32 and 45 million cases of the flu from October through the third week in February.
What would you do with five extra minutes per procedure in your dental practice?
Instruments must be properly taken care of if they are to function as they were intended, for as long as they were intended. A safe and efficient cleaning process will protect the investment you’ve made in high-quality dental instruments.
If you've ever watched the reality television show Dirty Jobs, you've probably concluded that dirty jobs are fun to watch or learn about, but not to do. However, these so-called "dirty jobs" play vital roles in society, keeping a world on the move going. When you think about it, especially on a microscopic level, instrument reprocessing is a dirty job, too, with countless microbes and organic debris being removed from the surfaces of instruments.
Dental professionals have a lot on their plates these days. There is a tremendous amount to think about, such as practice profitability, technology investments, team efficiency, new patient acquisition, and continuing education — just to name a few. With all of this to balance, it can be difficult to take a step back and look at specific processes that happen every day to determine if there are better, faster and safer ways to do things.
