Infection Control
Infection Control Procedures
In the last few years there has been a significant increase in concern regarding infection control and asepsis in medical and/or dental facilities. With the discovery of the AIDS (HIV) virus and the continuing problem with the Hepatitis B virus, it has become necessary for these facilities to constantly upgrade their techniques and sterilization and disinfection products used to provide you with maximum protection. Our office follows sophisticated procedures which are designed to assure your safety while undergoing treatment. Examples of procedures we perform for your protection are as follows:
Comprehensive Examination
Our first line of defense is a complete dental examination including a thorough written and oral dental-medical history. Your general physical condition, medication history, and past hospitalizations are noted and regularly updated. This information is invaluable.
Personal Protective Equipment
We utilize personal protective apparel and equipment. These items include masks or face shields, protective eyewear, gloves and bibs which are disposable and new ones are used for each patient. Protective lead aprons are used when taking radiographs (x-rays).
Instrument Sterilization
All non-disposable instruments and handpicks (drills) which are placed in your mouth are heat sterilized in a chemiclave (auto-clave) which utilizes chemical vapor/heat/pressure or steam/pressure to kill all viruses, bacteria, and spores including Hepatitis and HIV. This process speeds the deterioration of the metals which necessitates more frequent replacement of the instruments and handpicks. All plastics, (non-chemiclave/autoclave items) are sterilized in EPA registered sterilization solutions for a minimum of 10 hours prior to use to assure sterility.
Monitoring
We utilized a variety of monitors in our office:
1. Each instrument bag has a color monitor to assure sterilization.
2. We use spore tests regularly. This involves running a strip with live spores on it through a cycle in our chemiclave (auto-clave). This strip is then mailed to the lab for analysis. The lab then notifies us that all the spores were killed by our chemiclave (autoclave). This assures quality control.
3. All of our x-ray units are inspected regularly to assure proper calibration. This service costs several hundred dollars annually.
4. Our office is inspected regularly to assure that procedures to prevent fire or explosion are being followed. We receive excellent scores.
Disposables
We utilized disposable items whenever possible in providing patient care to eliminate the risks of cross-infection. These include our tray covers, suction tips, saliva ejectors, bibs, all needles, anesthetic containers, gloves and masks.
Treatment Room Care
After every patient, the treatment room is meticulously cleaned. All disposable items are disposed of popery. All chemiclave items are taken to the sterilization area. Everything remaining in the room is sprayed with a germicidal solution and carefully wiped clean. This includes our chairs, countertops, lights, suction and drill tubing, sinks and writing instruments. This adds between five and ten minutes to the time we allocate for each patient visit. The waterlines are flushed regularly with an EPA and FDA approved water line cleaner. We use a fresh water system in our water lines.
Hazardous Waste
We separate all hazardous waste and contract with a company to incinerate this waste for us. All sharp items (needles, glass carpules, wires, scalpels) are placed in red, sealed, hard plastic "sharps containers." All blood and/or saliva contaminated items are placed in a red, heavy duty plastic bag inside a sturdy box for pick-up by the company which incinerates the waste. We are disposing of our waste in this manner even though it is not required by state law because we feel that it is inappropriate for this waste to be taken to public dumps.
Testing
Dr. Shadid and all employees with patent contact have taken the Heptavax vaccine to protect against Hepatitis B. Dr. Shadid is tested periodically to assure that he is HIV negative.
Training
Education, awareness and commitment are essential to infection control. Our staff receives extensive and ongoing training which includes the following courses:
1. We have a regular in-office training session to review all infection control procedures as they are changing so quickly.
2. We have annual in-office CPR classes for all of our staff