5 Signs You Are Safe from Cross-Infection at the Dentist

Learn some tell-tale signs of a clean and sterile dental clinic

Occasionally, you hear horror stories about patients becoming exposed to infection while at the doctor or dentist due to poor sterilization and hygiene practices. While these stories are incredible rare, they are nonetheless frightening and may worry some patients.

The good news is, when you visit any California Dental Group location, you can rest assured you will be given top quality dental care in a safe, clean, and hygienic environment. But you don’t have to just take our word for it. Compare what you see in our office to these top 5 signs of a safe and sterile dental office.

1. Careful Glove Use. Using disposable gloves properly should be second nature to an experienced and hygiene-conscious dentist. Just watch your dentist—you’ll see that they put on fresh gloves before beginning your exam or dental work and they are careful not to touch any unsterilized surface while wearing the gloves. Remember that the gloves should come straight out of the glove dispenser, not off of a countertop which could potentially be contaminated. Dental hygienists will follow these same rules.
2. 2. Fresh Instruments. Every patient should get their own set of fresh dental instruments. You can tell your instruments are fresh and clean because they will come out of a sealed bag. They should then be laid out on a fresh paper mat so the dentist or dental hygienist has them handy.
3. Autoclave Validation. Dental offices have a special area dedicated to sterilizing dental instruments. The machine used to do this is called the autoclave. Every so often, the autoclave needs to be tested to ensure it is working properly. This is done by placing a packet of hard-to-kill bacteria in the autoclave, and then sending the packet to a third-party testing company to see how well the bacteria were killed. The results of this test should be kept on hand in the dentist’s office, and while asking to see it may surprise the staff, they should be happy to let you take a look for your own peace of mind.
4. Soap Dispensers. Even though dentists and dental hygienists wear gloves when working on your teeth, they should still be washing their hands often. So you should see soap dispensers at every sink.
5. Clean Office. One final sign of a safe and hygienic dental office is the general condition of the premises. Does the office appear neat and clean? Or is it cluttered and dusty? Can you observe that there are designated containers in the exam rooms for disposing of needles and used dental instruments? Can you tell that the exam chair is wiped down between patients?

Remember, at California Dental Group we are 100 percent dedicated to protecting your oral health and your overall health. We keep a clean office, follow all state and federal safety rules, and are always happy to answer hygiene questions for your peace of mind.