Sterilization Protocol
When you visit Trillium Oral Surgery and Implantology, keeping you safe and healthy are two of our main goals. We work hard to make sure that the right precautions are taken in each office so that the space is clean and hygienic for both our patients and our staff.
We have high standards for sanitation and sterilization to give you safe, top-quality care anytime you’re in one of our three offices. We use the latest best practices and pay attention to the latest guidelines to keep the dental office clean and sanitary and the dental instruments sterilized.
Our Cleanliness Practices
Everyone on our team has extensive training in cleanliness procedures and the best practices in the industry. We follow the recommendations given by the EPA, the CDC, and OSHA to comply with the most up-to-date practices. We have integrated those practices into our routines in each of our offices for the safety of everyone.
We use a number of pieces of equipment to ensure cleanliness and sterilization of instruments. These include dental sterilizers, dental autoclaves, and steam sterilizers. Heat, steam, and pressure are applied to these instruments to sterilize them, killing any viruses and bacteria.
Some of the practices we engage in for your health and safety include:
- We always use face masks and gloves
- Stocking sinks with disinfectant hand soap
- Using disposable materials whenever we can
- Disinfecting surfaces such as countertops with disinfectants approved by the EPA
- Ensuring that every piece of equipment is sterilized before it is used as well as after
When you visit us, you will see our team members engaging in these practices to keep you safe. All of our clinical team members will wear disposable gloves and masks. Every exam room will have its surfaces cleaned and disinfected before your visit as well as during and after it.
We Use Many Disposable Materials
We use many disposable materials so that we know they are clean and sterile. Our team members use disposable items such as gowns, face shields, gloves, masks, floss, brushes, and gauze. Every team member has training in using disposable items and how to dispose of them properly for everyone’s safety. They ensure that these materials are always stored correctly and used correctly.
The Sterilization of Instruments
When we have to use items that aren’t disposable, we have a process of thoroughly cleaning them and then disinfecting them after they are used. This is the process that we follow for items that are not disposable:
- We thoroughly clean the instruments with the help of ultrasonic cleaners. These machines kill germs and get rid of debris.
- We carefully store the clean instruments, wrapping them in packaging that the FDA has approved.
- We sterilize them with dental autoclaves that are approved by the FDA.
- We thoroughly disinfect our surfaces and machines with cleaners that are EPA approved.
After the instruments have been cleaned and sterilized, we store them safely until it’s time to use them.
We stay up-to-date on cleaning practices so that you won’t have to worry about germs or cleanliness while you’re here. You will know that everything has been cleaned and disinfected according to strict standards. If you have any questions about how we keep our patients safe, please call any of our offices to speak with a team member. We’ll be happy to answer your questions.