How to Sterilize Dental Tools

Dental equipment must be properly cared for in a safe and non-hazardous manner. It is important for the health of both the patient and the dental technician that proper guidelines are followed during the cleaning, sterilizing and packaging of reusable dental instruments. Not following cleaning and sanitizing instructions properly can result in the spread of contaminants to both patients and dental personnel.

Instructions

• 1

  Designate an area that will be used specifically for the cleaning,disinfecting and sterilizing of dental equipment. Divide the area into four sections, one for receiving and cleaning the equipment, one for sterilizing, one for packaging the equipment and one for storage. Always divide equipment this way to ensure that contaminated items do not come into contact with clean items.

• 2

  Put on safety gloves and safety goggles prior to handling used dental equipment. Place contaminated tools in the cleaning section. Immediately scrub the equipment with soap and water to remove all visible debris. Soak tools in disinfectant or detergent if they are not scrubbed immediately, to prevent debris from adhering to the instruments.

• 3

  Place equipment in automatic cleaning apparatus such as an ultrasonic cleanser. Rinse tools with water to remove any traces of chemical residue. Keep splashing to a minimum, to reduce the risk of spreading contaminants.

• 4

  Transfer tools to the sterilization area. Inspect all instruments to make sure they have been properly cleaned. Return any tools that do not look satisfactory back to the cleaning section. Place equipment in sterilizer or autoclave, and follow manufacturer's instruction for proper sterilization.

• 5

  Transfer tools to the packaging section. Inspect all tools, to make sure they are all cleaned and sterilized properly. Assemble all pieces back together and package the tools, so that they are ready for use on the next patient.

• 6

  Transfer all packaged equipment to the storage section. Place in enclosed storage containers, if possible, to further decrease the risk of air born contaminants coming into contact with instruments. Arrange instruments, so that they are grouped together and readily available for use on future patients.