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Classification of Common Dental Items
Anything that penetrates tissue or bone or touches broken skin including: needles, hand instruments, surgical instruments, probes, burs, scalers, ultrasonic scaler tips, curettes, and endodontic instruments must be sterile, and if reusable, sterilized after each use.
Anything handled during a procedure but does not penetrate the mucous membrane, and anything within the range of droplets from the air/water syringe, high-speed drill, or the patient coughing ideally should be sterilized and must be disinfected at a high level if they cannot be sterilized.
Anything else in the operatory that does not come in contact with the patient's mucosa, like walls, floor, cabinets must be disinfected at (at least) a low level.
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Treatment Zone
Sterile or high level disinfectant used after every patient. Instruments, bracket table, ultrasonic scaler tips, impression trays, handpieces, suction and evacuation tips, air/water syringe tip, gloved hands of operator.
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Treatment Fringe, Spatter Zone
High level disinfectant used after every patient. Chair, switches, handles, cuspidor, counters, amalgamator, bracket table supports, light, handpiece hoses, evacuation hoses, controls on ultrasonic scaler, cabinet facings, protective eyewear, x-ray viewer, sink. |
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Other Surfaces in the Room
Intermediate to low level disinfectant, clean regularly. Walls, floors, door handles, drawers, pictures, chair base, rheostat, pens, inside cabinets, bathrooms. |
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Microorganisms
