So Fresh And So Clean

Dental sterilization is a hot topic lately, so we thought it was a good time to explain how the good guys handle this very important issue. 

Our instruments are prepared for use by a three-step process.  The sterilization process takes each and every tool from dirty to clean and requires careful attention to detail.

1. Instruments are cleaned manually, using wire brushes and visual inspection to remove all visible debris.  Special safety equipment is used to protect our team during this step.
2. Second, instruments are placed in an enzymatic cleaning solution in an ultrasonic vibratory cleaning bath.  In this step, debris is removed from the instruments mechanically.
3. Instruments are then sterilized in an autoclave that is proven to kill all living organisms by reaching a VERY high pressure and temperature.

No secrets here, just CDC approved sterilization methods!  How do we know it works?  Firstly, we purchased state of the art, modern sterilization equipment that has digital controls indicating the temperature and pressure reached during each sterilization cycle.  We know that’s great, but we take it one step farther and use instrument pouches that have indicators further confirming that proper temperature and pressure has been reached by a color change.  Double checked!  But wait there is more, each week we use a test strip with a highly challenging microorganism contained inside.  This strip is tested by an independent laboratory confirming that our sterilizer can take out any common microbial organism and eliminate your risk of cross contamination.  Our autoclave has a 100% lifetime pass rate on these tests!

Furthermore, ALL operatory surfaces are disinfected with chemical wipes between patients and ALL plastic tools and piercing objects are considered strictly “one time use only” in our practice.  These items are disposed of in red biohazard containers promptly after each patient.

We take all of these precautions because we care about the health of our practice and our patients.  If you are looking for a Phoenix dental team where you can trust that we sweat the small stuff as much as you do, consider visiting our office.  We would love to meet you!