8 TIPS FOR UPDATING YOUR STERILIZATION ROOM:
1.Investing in high quality instrumentation, cassettes, and sterilization equipment can help improve efficiency, and make it easier to see a higher volume of patients each day.
2.Make sure your sterilization and disinfection systems are up to date.
3.It’s a top priority for the orthodontic practice to maintain a quality inventory of instruments. Identify an infection prevention and control coordinator (or hire an orthodontic sterilization consultant) to manage your facility’s instrument reprocessing and infection prevention protocols.
4.Before purchasing new instruments, always request the manufacturer’s instructions for use on how to clean and sterilize the product.
5.Verify with the instrument manufacturer in writing (not just a signed statement from the sales representative, who may not be educated on sterilization) that those instruments are guaranteed for current autoclave sterilization methods.
6.If you’re using a cassette system, determine how many cassettes you use in the morning and how many you use in the afternoon. That will help determine the amount and size of sterilization equipment you’ll need to invest in. It will also prevent you from making an expensive purchasing mistake.
7.Ensure your instruments remain sterile by using sterilization pouches or a wrapped cassette system. Cassettes will protect instruments from the rigors of reprocessing, and provide convenient setup for each patient’s individual care. The cassette system also ensures that orthodontic assistants have the correct instruments needed for the procedure.
8.If you have the space, showcase the sterilization process at your facility. At some practices, patients can view the sterilization center behind glass wall as they walk through the hallway. It’s a feature to be proud of because if a patient is worried about infections, they’ll be reassured, then spread the word. That’s a plus for your practice.
