Guidelines for Your Protection The College of Dentistry meets or exceeds the guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control in 1993 and the American Dental Association in 1992 and is in complete compliance with all provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Bloodborne Pathogen Regulations. Our Sterilization Facility Since 1973 the College of Dentistry has had its own sterilization room located on the fourth floor of the Dental Science Building's south wing. Our Central Sterilization technicians continually study the latest research about possible sources of contamination and suggested methods to combat the spread of infection. They supervise a college-wide system of sterilization.
The Sterilization Process All instruments and handpieces used in your care are carefully sterilized. After being used, they are sprayed with disinfectant in the clinic. They are then sent to the sterilization room to be treated in a sonic cleaner and subsequently processed in our sterilization machines. All items that can tolerate heat are sterilized in a steam autoclave (which includes the bulk of all items sterilized); those that can not tolerate heat are sterilized with gas at the hospital. Our handpieces have been heat sterilized since 1973; we have now switched to all metal handpieces, which can be steam autoclaved. Tests are run regularly to ensure the effectiveness of all sterilization procedures.
Needles are discarded after each use. All chairs, mirrors, handles, and any other clinic item that may have been used or touched during treatment are sprayed and cleaned with a strong disinfectant spray after each patient. Other Protective Measures Each practitioner is required to wear gloves, which are changed between each patient, and all practitioners are directed to wash their hands before putting on gloves and after removing their gloves. The protective eye wear, masks, and long blue clinic coats are also designed to prevent the spread of infection. We continually monitor the safety of the College's water lines and vacuum hoses, and employ appropriate precautions to minimize any risks.
Would You Like a Tour? or More Information? We hope this information will help you understand the strict measures (including those mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) we employ to ensure your health. We want you to feel comfortable and assured while you are in our clinics. We will be happy to give you a tour, so you can see our Central Sterilization room.
We feel that dental health is important for each person, and that regular care is essential to maintain dental health. We want everyone to be relaxed, having no fears about any diseases being transmitted to a patient in our clinics. Please feel free to ask the patient representative or call 335-7499 if you have any questions about our sterilization procedures, or if we can help you in any way. If you have friends who are not comfortable going to the dental office because of fears of infection, please share this information with them, too.
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Last Modified: February 28, 1997