Infection and QC

The Quality Minded Dental Clinic in Beirut Lebanon: ISO certified 9001:2008

One of the most important concerns in Ferrari Dental Clinics is infection and quality control. Our priority is to provide state-of-the-art dental care while maintaining a strict operating protocol. Our practice exceeds the highest standards of infection control advocated by the American Dental Association, the CDC and OSHA. We utilize the latest barrier techniques and autoclave sterilization to eliminate any risk of cross-contamination.

The cornerstone in a good and safe dental practice is the element of trust. You should feel free to discuss this topic with our team and receive a straightforward answer.

What are the four conditions that must be present for a person to get an infection?

• First, there must be a germ: bacteria or virus, fungus, or parasite.
• There must be a place for the germ to live in a person, an animal, a plant, food, or soil.
• The person must be at risk for an infection and unable to fight it off.
• There must be some way for the germ to enter the person or "host" through tubes, needles, or body sites (open skin, the mouth, or the nose). An expectant mother can also pass germs to her unborn baby.

What are some examples of ways infections are spread?

By direct contact, such as touching an open wound with unwashed hands.
By indirect contact, such as when a person has contact with something that is contaminated (dirty).
By being carried through the air, such as when people sneeze or cough.

Importance of Current Medical Histories:

Patient medical histories are updated annually. Infectious diseases often can be present without overt symptoms. Further, some patients are reluctant to divulge facts about certain medical conditions; therefore, all patients are to be treated as being potentially infectious by observing and employing "Universal Precautions".

Barrier techniques:

• Gloves must be worn when skin contact with body fluids, mucous membranes or contaminated items and surfaces is anticipated.
• Heavy rubber (utility) gloves are meant to be used while cleaning instruments and environmental surfaces.
• Hand washing. Hands are washed at the start of the day, before gloving, after removal of gloves and after touching any contaminated surface. Hand washing with water and plain soap is adequate for patient examination and non-surgical procedures. For surgical procedures, an anti-microbial hand scrub is used.
• Facemasks protect the oral and nasal mucosa from body fluid spatters.
• Protective eyewear is indicated to shield the eyes from spatters.
• Protective clothing. Aprons, either reusable or disposable, are worn in the dental clinic. They are changed when visibly soiled or penetrated by fluids and they should not be worn outside the work area.
• Water purification system: Automatic filtration and sterilization system which treats water throughout Kuhn Dental Associates, whether washing your hands or rinsing your mouth.
• Limiting contamination can be done by three methods.
• Proper patient positioning
• Use of high volume evacuation
• Use of rubber dam.

Sterilization and disinfection:

Sterilization refers to the use of a physical or chemical procedure to destroy all forms of microorganisms, including the highly resistant spores.

Disinfection: Patient debris and body fluids are removed from the instruments and surfaces with a disinfectant (glutaraldehyde).

Sterilization: When the instruments are ready for sterilization or final disinfection. They are rinsed and dried, before sterilization in dry heat sterilizer or in a chemiclave. Instruments are prepackaged before processing through the autoclave to protect them from contamination after sterilization. Autoclaves and chemiclaves are monitored each sterilization cycle with heat sensitive color change tapes or strips.

Hand piece asepsis:

The inside lines of high speed hand pieces may become contaminated when patient fluids retract back through air- water opening.

First, the hand piece is flushed with water by running it for 20 to 30 seconds, discharging the water into a sink or container.
Then we Package for sterilization in steam or unsaturated chemical vapour following the manufacturer's directions.

Disinfection of Treatment Rooms:

After patent treatment, all surfaces not protected with disposable barriers are to be decontaminated with a disinfectant, which is registered as a hospital disinfectant.

Contaminated Waste:

All contaminated waste is collected at the end of each day and taken to the designated holding areas within the clinic where it is deposited for removal by a special waste hauler.

 

Shipping of Contaminated Articles:

Any laboratory cases (impressions, models, prosthetic devices, etc.) and contaminated equipment being shipped for processing or repair are decontaminated before packaging with a disinfectant solution appropriate for the item being shipped.