What Are the Special Handling Requirements for Dental Supplies and Tools?

To prevent injuries caused by sharp instruments, personnel should wear heavy-duty, puncture-resistant gloves when handling or manually cleaning contaminated objects. The following is a list of dental materials needed in daily practice. I have done my best to cover all the basic requirements on both lists. You can always add or remove items depending on your patient's needs.

The coordinator can help ensure that dental health care staff are aware of the equipment and supplies needed to address infection prevention issues with all staff members. To protect the health and safety of patients and dental health care staff, as well as to ensure the longevity of professional dental devices and equipment, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using FDA-approved devices for instrument reprocessing and following the manufacturer's instructions for use. The great thing is that you can mount dental operating lights to the ceiling, wall, cabinet, or any supply system in a dental office. Dental supply systems provide easy access to a variety of necessary electrical dental instruments, such as hand instruments, vacuums, and air and water syringes.

If you are currently in the process of upgrading or expanding an existing dental office, a key consideration should be your dental office equipment. When selecting which dental chair for patients is right for your office, it is important to consider the needs of the patient, the dental hygienist, the dental assistant and the dentist. Based on corroboration of data and regulation restricted to the province, dental equipment must follow appropriate dental infection control and occupational safety standards to ensure the safety of patients and dental health care staff. Dental appliances are needed to perform a variety of dental tasks, from routine appointments to complex surgical treatments.

Important manual systems you should have in your dental office include electrical, hygiene, dental laboratory, high-speed air-driven and low-speed air-operated dental devices. The American Dental Association (ADA) urges practicing dentists, dental assistants and dental laboratories to stay up to date with scientific information that leads to improvements in infection control. While CDC offers recommendations for infection control in medical and dental care settings, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates and enforces infection control measures among staff and employers, including in dental offices. Dental services teams are responsible for powering the equipment that professionals use in almost every dental office.

Examples of general-purpose dental equipment include vacuum cleaners, separation tanks, dental compressors, and amalgam separators.

Marvin Palmateer
Marvin Palmateer

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