Infection control
Hospital-grade sterilization, every visit
Every instrument autoclaved. Every surface disinfected. Every barrier replaced. The same protocols used in surgical settings — applied to every patient who sits in our chair.
Universal precaution
We follow universal precaution, which means every patient gets the same hospital-grade infection control — no shortcuts, no assumptions, no differentiation based on medical history. It's the safest standard for everyone, and it's what the CDC and OSHA recommend.
Instrument sterilization
Every reusable instrument goes through a multi-step sterilization process between patients. Instruments are pre-cleaned in an ultrasonic bath, then heat-sterilized in an autoclave at 270°F under pressure. We monitor each cycle with chemical indicators on every pouch and weekly biological indicators to confirm the autoclave is working correctly.
Single-use items
Anything that can't be heat-sterilized is single-use — gloves, masks, saliva ejector tips, prophy angles, anesthetic needles, and most plastic items. They're discarded after one patient and replaced fresh for the next.
Surface disinfection
Every surface a patient touches or breathes near is wiped down with hospital-grade disinfectant between visits. Surfaces that can't easily be wiped — light handles, headrests, control buttons — are covered with disposable barriers that are replaced for every patient.
PPE for our team
Our team wears gloves, masks, eye protection, and clinical jackets during every patient interaction. Masks and gloves are changed between patients. For aerosol-generating procedures (drilling, ultrasonic scaling), we use higher-protection N95 masks and additional eye protection.
Dental waterline safety
Dental unit waterlines are flushed daily and treated to meet CDC standards (fewer than 500 colony-forming units per milliliter). Water quality is tested regularly to make sure those numbers stay where they should.
Common questions
FAQs
- How do you sterilize instruments?
- Every metal instrument is heat-sterilized in an autoclave between patients. Autoclaves use pressurized steam at 270°F to kill every microbe — the same standard used in hospital operating rooms. We monitor each cycle with biological indicators.
- What about disposable items?
- Anything that can't be heat-sterilized is single-use and discarded after one patient — gloves, masks, saliva ejector tips, prophy angles, and most plastic items.
- Do you disinfect the exam chair between patients?
- Yes. Every surface a patient touches or breathes near is wiped down with hospital-grade disinfectant, including the chair, light handles, tray, and counters. We change barriers (chair covers, light grips, headrest covers) between every patient.
- What PPE do team members wear?
- Gloves, masks, eye protection, and clinical jackets during every patient contact. Masks and gloves are changed for every patient. Higher-protection N95 masks are used for any aerosol-generating procedure.
- How is the water in the dental unit cleaned?
- Dental unit waterlines are flushed daily and treated to meet CDC standards (less than 500 colony-forming units per milliliter). Water quality is tested regularly.
- What is universal precaution?
- Universal precaution means we treat every patient the same — full sterilization, full PPE, full barriers — regardless of medical history. That's the safest approach for everyone.
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Your visit will be clean, safe, and predictable — that's a promise.