New State-of-the-Art Sterilization Area Ensures Patient Safety
Both Health Care Providers and consumers are increasingly aware of transmissible diseases. Some of these described transmissible diseases, both viral and bacterial, can be acquired in a dental health care environment. At Dr. Curotto’s your health and safety is our primary concern.
We utilize Center for Disease Control guidelines for sterilization and infection control known as “Universal Precautions”. The following devices and procedures are in place to provide you with state-of-the-art protection.
1.) State-of-the-Art Sterilization Area
At Dr. Curotto’s we employ a Linear Sterilization system for decontamination. This represents the ultimate in modern office dentistry for patient protection.
2.) Autoclave (Steam Sterilization)
We utilize two steam sterilization units (autoclaves): the MidMark M11 to sterilize the instruments and a the MidMark M3 for the handpieces. These units sterilize all of our hand instruments, hand pieces and burs with very high temperature steam, ensuring the destruction of both bacteria and viruses.
3.) Chemical Disinfection
All items that cannot tolerate high heat, such as plastics, and are not disposable are sterilized in a chemical solution formulated to destroy both viruses and bacteria. We use an M250 Soniclean Ultrasonic Cleaner for plastics and an Assistina 301 Cleaner to disinfect drill handpieces.
4.) Disposables
The unidose protocol, or one-time use theory, guides our care in other areas of the office. This means we discard any unused material after it is taken out for a patient treatment. These items include saliva ejectors, anesthetic carpules and needles, cotton tip applicators, composite compules and many other items. This eliminates the chances of cross-contamination by using the same product more than once.
5.) Surface Decontamination
All surfaces that do not have disposable plastic coverings, counter tops and dental chairs are disinfected with a specific chemical solution. This solution is designed to eliminate potentially infectious organisms.
6.) Disposables: Gloves and Masks
Gloves and masks are worn to minimize any potential for cross-contamination (transmission of infectious disease). This protects both our patients and us. Each pair of gloves is used for one patient and discarded. Masks are used in the same manner, one use and done.