Package Description

Dental handpieces are required to be sterilized between patients. Vacuum steam sterilization processes with fractionated pre/post-vacuum phases or unique cycles for specified medical devices are required for hollow instruments with internal lumens to assure successful air removal. Entrapped air will compromise the achievement of required sterilization conditions. Many countries and professional organizations still
advocate non-vacuum sterilization processes for these devices. This presentation will investigate steam sterilization processes in dental handpieces using chemical indicators, biological indicators, and thermometric measurements.

Learning Objectives:

After completing this course, learners should be able to:

• describe the definition of dental instrument sterility
• identify different methods to assess achievement of sterilization conditions
• review different methods used to achieve air removal from dental handpieces and their effectiveness

Price:

• Members: $15
• Non-members: $30

CE Information:

CE Credits: 1.00

Click here to view detailed CE information about this course.

Speaker:

Andrew Smith, BDS, PhD

Dr. Smith is Professor of Clinical Bacteriology & Honorary Consultant Microbiologist for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. He is the Director of the Bacterial Respiratory Infections Service, Scottish Microbiology Reference Laboratory (SMiRL), Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Lead Consultant for Oral and Maxillofacial Microbiology, NHS Glasgow & Clyde (NHS G&C). Previously, he has been the Microbiology Consultant Lead for Medical Device Decontamination NHS GG&C for several years sitting on National and International committees. The lead for several National projects, grant funding, and peer reviewed publications linked to decontamination in Primary and Secondary Care with the objective of reducing the risk of iatrogenic vCJD. A committee member of the CJD support network. He is the current President of the Scottish Microbiology Association and Assistant editor of the Journal of Hospital Infection. Professor Smith is the current chair of the Scottish Antimicrobial Stewardship in Dentistry group.

Disclosures: No relevant financial relationships to disclose