Sterilisation Procedures
The effective use of cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation and procedures in Oral Health facilities is essential in the prevention of healthcare associated infections. All staff at North Road Dental Clinic is educated in the highest standard of infection control policies and procedures. All procedures are carried out in accordance with current ADA infection control guidelines, Australian Federal and Victorian Standards for maintaining infection control. All instruments are disinfected and sterilized after use. We use the Biosonic cleaner, Mocom Futura B22L steriliser to make sure that our instruments are sterile. B Futura is a Type B conforming device to EN 13060:2004 standard meaning an advanced multi-stage vacuum system for complete air removal in place, even from hollow, porous materials. B Futura autoclaves are equipped with an effective final vacuum drying phase that eliminates every last trace of moisture from any load. A functional test is performed on all the equipment daily to ensure sterilisation is optimum. Full and secure traceability of every sterilisation cycle is recorded electronically.
Hygiene Systems - Used in the dental chair
Active Hygiene Systems
- Water Hygienisation Equipment: Automatic system that ensures permanent disinfection of the spray and cup fill circuits via the addition of H2O2 exerting a bacteriostatic effect. The system has an EN 1717-compliant Type A inlet air gap separation device to prevent contamination of mains water.
- Bioster - Flushing: Bioster, an automatic device that disinfects the water and spray circuits using a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, ensures thorough sanitisation at the end of the treatment session before the next patient’s arrival. Contact time can be set from 5 to 30 minutes. The Flushing device, which is incorporated in the BIOSTER system provides fast, effective rinsing of tubing via a water flow that can be set to last from 1 to 5 minutes.
- Peristaltic Pump: The peristaltic pump allows utilisation of sterile irrigating liquids during oral surgery or implant operations.
- Suction System Flushing And Sanitation: The automatic suction system flushing-sanitising device carries out rapid flush and subsequent disinfection cycles on the suction system interior.
- Anti-Retraction Device The O.D.R. anti-retraction device on dynamic instruments blocks any fluid return and thus prevents backflow contamination of spray water circuits.
Passive Hygiene Systems
- The cuspidor bowl with optional powered rotation and optical cup fill sensor is made of ceramic. The elements can be fully dismantled and removed for disinfection.
- Interchangeable-autoclavable stainless steel tray holder module.
- Membrane-protected touch keys.
- Autoclavable silicon instrument support mat.
- Removable front cover
- Cannula ends can be autoclaved.
- Operating light handles can be removed and disinfected in an autoclave.
- Seamless SKAI upholstery, easily removable for sanitation purposes
- A high-flow double filter with automatic and independent cannula selection provides greater single cannula suction efficiency.
- Removable handpiece holder and rapid-coupling instrument tubing to simplify instrument changes.
Dentists for Cleaner Water
North Road Dental Clinic is proud to be be part of the Dentists for Cleaner Water programme. Amalgam fillings removed from teeth contribute to mercury in the sewage system. Our practice has installed amalgam separators to filter the amalgam from waste water and prevent their release into the sewage system.
Digital Radiography
The use of digital radiography not only reduces the dosage of X-ray radiation that the patient is exposed to when radiographs are taken, they also eliminate the use of x-ray films and a layer of lead that eventually ends up as waste. Additionally, the use of x-ray developer solutions is eliminated, hence also reducing the production of potentially toxic waste.
Not only do digital radiographs reduce patient exposure to near undetected levels, they also provide benefits to the environment:
- re-usuable films to reduce waste instead of single use traditional film
- no need for disposable lead barriers for traditional film
- no need for harmful chemicals to process traditional film
Paperless Practice
Through the use of computers, state-of-the-art Exact software, scanners and digital technology, North Road Dental Clinic uses paperless patient records, reducing large amounts of paper, ink and chemical wastage.