Instrument processing area in the dental clinic

Policies and Procedures on Infection Control Ministry of Health Malaysia 112

2. Cleaning of Dental unit waterlines

• Flush lines for 1 minute each morning. • Flush hand pieces with airwater for 20 to 30 seconds before use on a patient. • Satisfactory reduction of microbiological counts from waterlines cannot be achieved by above methods only • Dental units should have a separate water reservoir system to the hand pieces • Dental units should filter water from the domestic water supply • Hand pieces should have anti-retraction valves Consider using a dental unit with a self-contained water purification system

3. Dental hand pieces

Dental hand pieces must be sterilised and re-process before use on each patient in accordance to manufacturer’s instructions. • Flush hand piece airwater lines with bur inserted prior to removing hand piece from hose • Clean and dry hand piece • Clean and lubricate hand piece using an appropriate cleaning and lubricating spray. - It is advisable to use an automated hand piece cleaning and lubricating system for this purpose. • Pack and autoclave. • Non autoclavable hand pieces should not be used. If the use of such a hand piece is unavoidable, the hand piece must the wiped thoroughly with a high level disinfectant after flushing with the cleaner and lubricant. If the hand piece needs to be reused immediately, a rapidly acting disinfectant i.e. alcohol based is used • Flush airwater lines in hose before re-attaching hand piece • Open package and lubricate, using a separate cleaning and lubricating spray canister • Attach to hose and expel excess lubricant with bur inserted.

4. Components permanently attached to dental unit waterlines

• Examples include handles or dental unit attachments of saliva ejectors, high- speed air evacuators, and airwater syringe. • These are likely to become contaminated with blood and body fluids during a procedure. • They can be covered with protective barriers that are changed after each procedure. • If not covered during use, they must be cleaned and disinfected with an appropriate disinfectant after use on each patient.