The use of heat sterilization for critical and semicritical instruments results in a higher certainty of safety for patients. However, the reprocessing of dental instruments involves much more than just the sterilization process itself. Every step in reprocessing is critical to ensure achievement of the objective: to deliver instruments to the dental operatory that are free of all body fluids and microorganisms from previous patients. Ensuring that all instruments are free of debris before packaging and sterilizing is one of the most important aspects of instrument reprocessing.

As few as 30 years ago, more than 14,000 workers died annually because of work-related accidents, almost 2.5 million were disabled while working, and more than 300,000 new cases of occupational diseases and injuries were noted each year. In response, the US Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), which became effective in April 1971. Under the OSH Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created within the Department of Labor. 

The American Dental Association (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs published as a white paper in February 1996, setting an agenda for research and challenging the dental industry to develop methods to improve the quality of water used for dental treatment. As we approach the 10-year point since the publication of the ADA statements, how have the profession, the scientific community, and the dental industry responded? In this article, the events of the past decade on this topic will be reviewed and the current status of science, technology, and public policy related to dental water quality will be described.

Instrument cleaning and sterilization are critical elements of a dental infection-control program. Patients expect that the instruments and devices used in connection with dental procedures are free from organic and inorganic materials from previous patients, and most importantly, free of organisms that have the potential to transmit disease from patient to patient.

The ALARA Principle (which stands for As Low as Reasonably Achievable) is an integral component of the new National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) Guidelines for Radiation Protection. The suggestions for implementation provided in this article will help you to do the following: Comply with a major part of the new Guidelines that deal directly with radiation exposure issues to staff and patients; provide a safer practice environment for you and your staff/patients by significantly reducing radiation exposure; and give you more “readable” x-rays in the process.

During the course of a working day, dental health care personnel (DHCP) can expect to encounter a wide range of materials that present the possibility of either injury or illness. Droplets containing blood and saliva that result from dental procedures present an inhalation and contact risk; sharp contaminated instruments present a contaminated percutaneous injury risk; and chemicals used for disinfection and dental treatment present an inhalation or contact risk. Encounters with all of these require the use of prudent precautions to avoid hazardous exposures.

Musculoskeletal disorders, including repetitive motion injuries, result in painful work, lost workdays, and, in extreme cases, disability resulting in forced retirement. There are steps every dental professional can take to reduce his or her risk of sustaining musculoskeletal disorders.

The treatment options available to indi­vidual offices rely heavily upon the system present for delivery of water to the dental unit.