In the last few years, patient protection has become an issue of public concern. With the discovery of the AIDS (HIV) virus and the medical implications of Hepatitis-B, it has become necessary for all health care facilities to consistently apply state-of-the-art sterilization and disinfection techniques to provide patients with maximum protection.
In our office safety, yours and ours, is our highest priority. Throughout the day, we continuously and thoroughly sterilize our equipment for your protection. Our protocol for sterilization includes the following:
Before and after each patient appointment, all treatment surfaces (e.g., countertops, chair surfaces, lights, x-ray machines, and trays) are disinfected with the most effective and safest products available.
To ensure your safety, we follow a number of standard sterilization procedures with all instruments and handpieces. First, all hand instruments are neatly organized in individual metal cassettes and brought from the treatment rooms to the sterilization room. Here, they are placed in a state-of-the-art unit where they are ultrasonically cleaned to remove even microscopic debris, rinsed, and dried. Then, each cassette is individually placed in its own sterilization wrap and placed in a steam autoclave, which runs for 40 minutes and reaches a temperature of 425 degrees, thereby destroying all bacteria and viruses.
Our autoclaves and dry heat sterilizer are monitored regularly to ensure their effectiveness and safety.
Staff members use masks, safety shields, safety glasses, and new gloves for each patient. All staff members are updated annually in proper patient protection procedures and have been vaccinated against the Hepatitis-B virus. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding patient protection and give you a personal tour of our sterilization facility and clinical area.