Here are a few sterilization best practices from Dr. David Ahearn's "Your Blueprint for Maximizing Dental Office Productivity" which is now available on, and shipping from, Amazon (www.amazon.com/Blueprint-Maxi...
Q: Should I use an ultrasonic?
A: A small counter-top ultrasonic is a fine addition for debriding individual instruments, especially at the end of the day when running a full cycle is not possible. However, we find these units get used more in the hope that disgusting build-up on a denture will magically fall off , or to polish wedding rings, rather than any essential use.
Q: Should I use a milk bath?
A: For any office doing a lot of surgery or orthodontics you may want to consider a 3- basin sink where 1 small basin is always filled with a milk bath for any instrument with hinges.
Q: Should I use a rapid heat transfer sterilizer (e.g. Statim)?
A: Like an ultrasonic, a Statim is a fi ne addition for sterilizing individual cassettes; again, especially at the end of the day. But due to the high amount of touches required, it will never replace the effi ciency of a large autoclave for sterilizing a number of items.
Q: What autoclave do you recommend?
A: The Midmark M11 and Tuttnauer T-Edge 11 are two reliable, large-chamber autoclaves that we frequently see used with success.
Q: What dry heat sterilizer do you recommend?
A: The smallest one you can find. Schein offers a small, high-quality unit (Model 200). However, some states are restricting the use of dry-heat sterilization. It’s critical to maintain an awareness of state regulations regarding clinical support functions such as this.
Q: What about commercial dishwashers?
A: A dishwasher should meet the following 3 requirements; internal water temperature reaches a minimum of 161°F, has a stainless steel interior, and has a “heavy duty” or “pots and pans” cycle that lasts over 30 minutes. The DIHR/Kromo DS50 Washer is an excellent choice.
Q: What solution should I use in a soak sink/dishwasher?
A: A commonly used product is ProEZ 2™ Dual Enzymatic Detergent made by Certol. Use 3-4 pumps in both the soak sink and dishwasher detergent reservoir per load.
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Design Ergonomics (desergo.com) and our sister company, Ergonomic Products (www.ergonomic-products.com), are proud to bring you the Desergo Steri Centers (desergo.com/desergo-steri-cen..., sterilization cabinetry designed for high-flow dental practices of all sizes.
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Sterilization (desergo.com/desergo-steri-cen...) is the heart of your dental practice. It’s the hub around which your dental office system flows - or doesn’t! You need to maximize dental office efficiency and productivity by treating this area as an integrated dental office design element, not an afterthought.
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Please note: Carefully follow all state and local laws and regulations as you consider the strategies and techniques in this video. Documentation of the proper sterilization of instruments and devices is a vital component of a dental practice's infection control guidelines.
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Helpful links from the Design Ergonomics blog (desergo.com/blog):
How Do You Get Your Dental Instruments Clean? Here Are 3 Ways To Improve Your Sterilization Process.
desergo.com/blog/2019-11/how-...
Sterilizing Dental Instruments: Is It In The Bag Or Are You Just Pushing The Envelope?
desergo.com/blog/2021-06/ster...
What Are You Looking For In An Autoclave For Your Dental Practice?
desergo.com/blog/2021-02/what...
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At Design Ergonomics (www.desergo.com), we help dentists create the most efficient, productive, and beautiful practices to meet their unique goals. Our design approach, developed over 25 years of working exclusively for the dental industry, has a proven track record for high-flow, high-efficiency success.
Our sister company, Ergonomic Products (www.ergonomic-products.com), designs and manufactures the most productive dental delivery systems on Earth, as well as the dental lights, in-wall cabinets, dental patient chairs, and sterilization centers to support their systems of enhanced dental delivery. Their dental delivery workstation has been an essential part of the performance revolution that has made much of the dental office workflow improvements at Design Ergonomics possible.