Page 33 - Compendium Chapters for Course 1 (IC, DPA, OSHA)

Single-use items are addressed by the Board as follows:
(16) Single use disposable items such as prophylaxis angles, prophylaxis cups and brushes, tips for high-speed evacuators, saliva ejectors, air/water syringe tips, and gloves shall be used for one patient only and discarded.
Items considered single-use are:
• Gloves
• Masks
• Autoclave packages, bags, wraps and tapes
• Cotton products, paper products, and non-autoclavable plastic items
• Non-sterilizable irrigation items
• Needles, sharps and glassware
• Items marked by the manufacturer as being single-use or disposable only
BIOLOGICAL SPORE TESTING – WEEKLY
(17) Proper functioning of the sterilization cycle of all sterilization devices shall be verified at least weekly through the use of a biological indicator (such as a spore test). Test results shall be documented and maintained for 12 months.
A consideration in any sterilization cycle is verification that the sterilizer worked properly. Only using biologic monitors can do this. The Dental Board of California requires all autoclaves and mechanical sterilization units, regardless of type, to be spore tested weekly.
Chemclaves (chemical vapor device) use a different type of spore testing device than steam or dry heat autoclaves; however, the testing procedure is exactly the same regardless of type. Unlike steam autoclaves that use water, the primary active agent in the solution used for chemical vapor sterilization is formaldehyde that requires a different type of spore testing strip to be used.
Once the testing process is complete, the spore test is sent to an authorized laboratory for evaluation. If the results are unsatisfactory, the laboratory will call the office and notify the staff or doctor of the results. If the problem is thought to be the testing method, the test is repeated. If the problem is defective equipment, the sterilizer is rendered “non-functional” until checked/repaired by the dental repair service or manufacturer. Spore test laboratory reports are to be kept available in the facility for no less than 12 months – one year.
Intro Page - 33
Introductory Chapter: Dental Practice Act, Infection Control and Cal-OSHA
The California RDAEF: A Compendium for Licensure Success © The Foundation for Allied Dental Education, Inc. 2016 Copyright protected. All rights reserved