Dental Office Safety Practices

You have an expectation of dental care in Short Hills NJ that includes sterile or surgically clean instruments, properly working equipment, drugs and medications that are not expired, and doctor and staff who are licensed to provide services.  From time to time this expectation is not respected, and we hear about dentists in the news who have violated the publics’ trust and did not provide safe and sterile care.  At such times it is natural for there to be a heightened sense of anxiety about the cleanliness and sterilization practices of the dental office we visit.

Cleanliness and standardization of infection procedures is a top priority in our dental office and in the majority of dental offices.  Dentists and their staffs take many precautions to prevent the spread of infection from doctor to patient and from patient to doctor.  We shield our patients and ourselves from infections by using what is called universal precautions.  Therefore, we wash our hands before and after each patient is seen, we use a new pair of gloves for each patient, and we use masks and protective eyewear.  If the dentist leaves the room for any reason, a new pair of gloves is put on before resuming patient care. 

During treatment, high speed suction is used, often barriers are placed in the patient’s mouth to isolate the area treated.  Sterile instruments are kept on sterile trays during treatment.  Needles and sharp instruments such as scalpels are discarded into a special medical waste container after a single use.  Before the next patient is seated, all surfaces in the treatment area are wiped down and disinfected, instruments are routed for the sterilization process, and disposable items are discarded.  Instruments that aren’t disposable are sterilized with steam under pressure in an autoclave, or with dry heat or chemicals.

Cross infection, in general, is exceedingly rare because dentists follow strict guidelines for the safety of our patients, staff, and ourselves.  The risk of your health being affected by not seeing the dentist is far greater than the risk of cross infection.

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