17 minute read
CPD CENTRE
infection | CONTROL
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A-dec offers dental unit biofilm testing service
With the heightened focus on infection control within the dental practice, A-dec has introduced a useful new product to test the microbiological quality of dental unit water lines and surfaces accurately and easily in dental clinics.
The 2-Min Water Control System rapidly and accurately determines the presence of biofilm in dental unit waterlines in just two minutes, to enable
monitoring and action as required. It provides accurate results, eliminating incubation periods or the need to send samples to a laboratory.
A water sample is taken from the dental unit waterline and by adding a few drops of reagents, produces a result which is immediately interpreted and displayed on a Lumitester Smart device.
In the case of microbiological shifts, the dental team can then use the results to implement A-dec’s recommended maintain, monitor and shock waterline maintenance guide to ensure infection control protocols are maintained.
The advantage of this digital test device is rapid and accurate chairside results, without the long wait times and inaccurate manual verification methods of commonly used bacteria swab test kits.
The Lumitester uses ATP-metry – which measures the presence of Adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is present in all living organisms, providing early warning of biofilm build-up at small concentrations. By counting the number of photons emitted by the bioluminescence reaction, it displays the results in RLU (Relative Light Units). This technology is widely used in the food industry and medical settings to test for harmful biofilms.
When used with the 2-Min Water Control reagent kit, ATP is converted to colony forming units (CFU) to determine the bacterial load of the water sample.
The ADA guidelines state it is good
practice to test water lines on a regular basis, for example six-monthly or annually. There has been no change in the ADA’s target level of 200 CFU/mL in dental unit waterlines, however, clinics often set their own levels such as 100 CFU/mL as a trigger point for action.
When high counts are found, the waterlines will need to undergo additional shock or sanitising treatments.
Dental unit waterlines are susceptible to biofilm build-up because of the narrow water passages in dental equipment and the slow movement of water through the water lines. The problem is greatly exacerbated if equipment has been left idle.
According to A-dec product manager, Angie Wong, this risk is reduced by using a self-contained dental unit waterline system such as that found on A-dec chairs, treated with ICX infection control tablets. She said the patented design of the A-dec pneumatic control block also eliminated stagnant water, by circulating fresh water through the control block each time a handpiece is used.
To optimise the quality of your dental unit water, be sure to use a fresh ICX tablet and follow these steps every time you refill a self-contained water bottle: 1. Empty any water left in the bottle; 2. Drop the tablet into an empty dental unit water bottle (0.7L tablet in 0.7 litre bottle, 2L tablet in 2 litre). Avoid touching the tablet with skin; 3. Fill the bottle with water, then install it on the dental unit; and 4. Wait two minutes for the tablet to fully dissolve before using the system.
Mrs Wong said now is an ideal time to conduct a 2-minute water test to determine the status of your waterlines.
The exclusive 2-minute testing technology is available as a service on a scheduled basis by authorised and qualified A-dec dealers - similar to annual autoclave testing and validation.
For more info on the 2-minute water testing service, contact your local A-dec dealer. Dealer and A-dec Territory Manager details are available on the A-dec website or by phoning 1800-225-010.
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Question 1. The Water Control System analyses DUWL biofilm in: a. 60 seconds b. 2 minutes c. 5 minutes d. 15 minutes
Question 2. The Lumitester measures the presence of: a. Polysaccharides b. Lipids and nucleic acids c. Extracellular polymeric substances d. Adenosine triphosphate e. All of the above
Question 3. ADA guidelines recommend action when the bacterial load in dental unit water reaches: a. 100 CFU/mL b. 200 CFU/mL c. 300 CFU/mL d. 400 CFU/mL
Question 4. When high bacterial counts are found, waterlines need to undergo shock and sanitising treatments: a. True b. False
Question 5. Dental unit waterlines are susceptible to biofilm build-up because of the narrow water passages in dental equipment and the slow movement of water through the water lines: a. True b. False
infection | CONTROL
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Unravelling the mystery of long COVID
By Emeritus Professor Laurence J. Walsh AO
22 oral|hygiene This article explores some of the implications for patients who develop “long COVID”, also known as “long haul COVID”, which refers to new health problems that develop 3 or more months after infection. The information presented below has been put together from reading through some 265 papers on long COVID and is designed to highlight key points of relevance for every dental professionals.
Disease trajectory
After becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2, around 40% of people will have an asymptomatic infection, while another 40% will have a mild infection and will convalesce at home. In most cases with asymptomatic or mild infections, the person will clear the virus as they recover and inflammation will subside, with little or no persisting effects over the following months - and hence there is only a low probability of long COVID (6% or less). Around 20% of people have a more severe acute illness and of those, around 1 in 4 will need to be hospitalised. More severe acute illness means there has been a larger disturbance to the host immune system and more inflammation and together these factors elevate the likelihood of having long COVID, with health issues extending from 3 months after the acute infection and not seeing a return to good health. Those patients who are in ICU and the subset who are ventilated experience a range of issues, known as post-ICU syndrome and ventilator with-
March/April 2022
Question 6. People with long COVID may experience: a. Fatigue and shortness of breath b. Fever c. Pneumonia and acute respiratory failure d. Delirium e. All of the above
Question 7. Reductions in smell and taste are common with which variant of COVID: a. Only Alpha b. Only Delta c. Only Omicron d. Alpha and Delta e. Delta and Omicron
Question 8. The symptoms associated with long COVID number more than: a. 10 b. 25 c. 50 d. 75 e. 100
Question 9. How many research papers did the author read to formulate the content of the article: a. 45 b. 96 c. 145 d. 265 e. 317
Question 10. Long COVID is more likely to affect women than men: a. True b. False
clinical | EXCELLENCE
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Increasing patient comfort with advanced technology
How to deliver the best care while keeping your patients relaxed
In any health care environment, patient comfort is incredibly important. While dental practitioners are highly trained with this in mind, technology can make it even easier to ensure your patients are relaxed when in the chair. In fact, when dental practices stay up-todate on the latest technological advancements, it assures patients they’re getting the highest level of care and comfort.
It also leads to better outcomes for those patients, who are more likely to return for care and to have lifelong and multigenerational relationships with your dental practice.
One excellent use for today’s dental technology has to do with a cause near and dear to all our hearts: relieving patient anxiety safely.
No matter how much you try to make patients feel at ease, some of them will still have tremendous anxiety about dental care. You can focus on how comfortable the chair and neck support are, give them sunglasses to block out the harsh lighting and even create ambience with lighting and music, but they’re still tense and uncomfortable.
And the tenser your patients are, the more likely they will jolt and jump during the procedure, which makes it hard to work with instruments, drills and other equipment. This is a real concern.
28 oral|hygiene March/April 2022
Question 11. Nasal masks are beneficial to patients in the age of COVID because: a. Everyone is stressed and likes to relax at the dentist. b. Nitrous oxide gas kills any COVID virus in your nose. c. Patients have to breathe through their nose which lessens their exposure to respiratory droplets. d. Sedated patients can be treated faster.
Question 12. Five minutes of 100% oxygen eliminates nitrous oxide from the bloodstream: a. True b. False
Question 13. According to the article, the best way to relieve tension in a patient is to: a. Ensure they are comfortable in the chair and have neck support. b. Give them sunglasses to block out harsh lighting. c. Create ambience with lighting and music. d. Administer nitrous oxide sedation.
Question 14. Using nitrous oxide is beneficial for your practice because: a. More cooperative and relaxed patients create a less stressful environment for clinicians. b. Higher patient satisfaction can lead to more referrals. c. Higher patient satisfaction can lead to better Google reviews. d. All of the above.
Question 15. Features of the ClearView Nasal Mask include: a. Mask-in-mask design reduces ambient N2O. b. Clear outer mask that shows the patient “breathing through nose”. c. Low profile provides easier access to the patient’s mouth. d. All of the above.
clinical | EXCELLENCE
Harmony ergonomic scalers and curettes
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Combining TrueFit technology with EverEdge 2.0 sharpness for state-of-the-art ergonomics and performance that work in harmony
It’s no secret that most dental professionals experience fatigue, pain, and discomfort of the hand, wrist or arm on a daily basis. But since the COVID pandemic surfaced, many dentists and hygienists have been forced to switch from power instruments to hand instruments, which often exacerbates any previous workrelated discomfort from repetitive motion. “I was getting pain in my thumb joint from having to mostly hand scale since COVID,” described Deborah Deal, RDH.
Hoping to relieve fatigue and discomfort for clinicians, Hu-Friedy developed an innovative and ergonomic handscaling solution, the new Harmony Ergonomic Scalers and Curettes. Combining Hu-Friedy’s proprietary TrueFit technology with its EverEdge 2.0 blade sharpness technology, the Harmony instruments provide an ergonomic solution that reduces a clinician’s pinch force grasp, improves grip, and requires less pressure on the tooth—perhaps extending the length of a dental professional’s career.
For Ms Deal and many other dentists and hygienists who evaluated the Harmony scalers and curettes for DPS, these instruments provide much-needed relief from daily discomfort. “The Harmony design allows me to use a lighter grip to remove deposits and it is less stressful on my finger joints.”
TrueFit Technology & reduced hand fatigue
The Harmony ergonomic scalers and curettes are designed with HuFriedy’s proprietary TrueFit technology, a sensor-based system derived by measuring millions of data points for pinch force in the finger and pressure applied to the tooth when scaling. Reducing pinch force by up to 65% and requiring less pressure to the tooth when scaling, Hu-Friedy says the instrument’s design helps to alleviate hand fatigue and injury risk due to repetitive motion. With EverEdge 2.0 technology, the working ends of the Harmony instruments are 72% sharper than others, according to Hu-Friedy, enabling calculus removal with less pressure and biomechanical stress on fingers and hands.
“The ergonomics [of the Harmony instrument] helped remove deposits easier and with less hand fatigue,” said Mary Aigeldinger, RDH and hygienist Kim Attanasi agreed. “The design allowed me to scale without using too much pressure, which, in turn, prevented fatigue.”
For Maureen Curran, RDH, “the instrument allows for lighter grasp, therefore reducing hand fatigue,” and Michaela Popa, DMD, said the instruments are very sturdy, precise and cause less hand fatigue. “Due to COVID, many patients have neglected their oral health; a majority had some type of periodontal disease and subgingival calculus. Hand and wrist fatigue has been a major problem,” said Lydia Pope, RDH. “This scaler worked effortlessly. I used much less pressure when scaling and it reduced my hand and wrist fatigue,” she explained. “I really like the design of the scaler combined with the EverEdge 2.0 technology,” said Jennifer Porter, RDH.
Grasp/grip and tactile sensitivity
The Harmony handle easily adapts to each clinician’s individual grasp, while the optimised shape and extended silicone grip are well balanced, providing a secure and nimble grasp with optimal tactile sensitivity. “I like the shape and feel in my hand that enables a light grip,” said Ms Deal and Lauren Dennis, RDH, said, “The new ergonomic shape compared to the original handle provides more comfort, a noticeable difference in pinch force reduction.” Pamela Emard, RDH, stated, “At the end of the day when my hands are beginning to fatigue, I didn’t have to worry about the instrument slipping from my grasp.”
32 oral|hygiene March/April 2022
Question 16. With EverEdge 2.0 technology, compared to others, the working ends of the Harmony instruments are sharper by: a. 51% b. 65% c. 72% d. 48% e. 34%
Question 17. TrueFit technology reduces pinch force when scaling by: a. 51% b. 65% c. 72% d. 48% e. 34%
Question 18. EverEdge 2.0: a. Alleviates hand fatigue and injury risk due to repetitive motion b. Creates an ergonomic handle shape compared. c. Allows a reduction in pinch force during scaling. d. Is a Blade sharpness technology e. All of the above
Question 19. Harmony performed nest when assessed for: a. Pinch force reduction b. Tactile sensitivity c. Sharpness of blade d. Balance e. Overall comfort for clinician
Question 20. Harmony includes an extended silicone grip provides a secure and nimble grasp and optimal tactile sensitivity: a. True b. False
dentevents presents... dentevents presents... Infection Control Infection Control BOOT CAMP 2020 BOOT CAMP BOOT CAMP 2020
ON DEMAND ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAMME ON DEMAND ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAMME 26 VIDEOS - 6+ HOURS OF EDUCATION 26 VIDEOS - 6+ HOURS OF EDUCATION INTERACTIVE Q&A SUPPORT WEBINARS INTERACTIVE Q&A SUPPORT WEBINARS Presented by Professor Laurence J. Walsh AO Presented by Professor Laurence J. Walsh AO
Learn firsthand from Australia’s leading authority on infection prevention and control in dentistry about recent changes in infection control that have come in over the past 12 Learn firsthand from Australia’s leading authority on infection prevention and control in dentistry about recent changes in infection control that have come in over the past 12 6 6 months, including the new guidelines from NHMRC (May 2019), Hand Hygiene Australia months, including the new guidelines from NHMRC (May 2019), Hand Hygiene Australia HOURS CPD HOURS CPD (Sept 2019) and the CDNA (Dec 2018) as well as recent changes in Australian Standards (Sept 2019) and the CDNA (Dec 2018) as well as recent changes in Australian Standards and TGA regulations that are relevant to infection control. The course will provide a summary and TGA regulations that are relevant to infection control. The course will provide a summary of how those changes interlink with one another. of how those changes interlink with one another. The course will cover practical implementation of the new requirements and what it means for everyday dental The course will cover practical implementation of the new requirements and what it means for everyday dental practice. Hear about the why and the how and keep up-to-date with the changes that are happening. Bring practice. Hear about the why and the how and keep up-to-date with the changes that are happening. Bring along your questions in writing or in person for one of the Q&A sessions that will be held during the day. along your questions in writing or in person for one of the Q&A sessions that will be held during the day.
COURSE TOPICS COURSE TOPICS
This one day course will cover changes in regulations and guidelines from 2018 to 2020 including: This one day course will cover changes in regulations and guidelines from 2018 to 2020 including: n n Risk-based precautions. Risk-based precautions. n n Hand hygiene and hand care practices. Hand hygiene and hand care practices. n n Addressing common errors in personal protective equipment. Addressing common errors in personal protective equipment. n n Biofilm reduction strategies. Biofilm reduction strategies. n n Efficiency-based measures to improve workflow in instrument reprocessing and patient changeover. Efficiency-based measures to improve workflow in instrument reprocessing and patient changeover. n n Correct operation of mechanical cleaners and steam sterilisers. Correct operation of mechanical cleaners and steam sterilisers. n n Wrapping and batch control identification. Wrapping and batch control identification. n n Requirements for record keeping for instrument reprocessing. Requirements for record keeping for instrument reprocessing. n n Correct use of chemical and biological indicators. Correct use of chemical and biological indicators.
FULL FULL UPDATE! UPDATE! All the changes to All the changes to Infection Control Infection Control Guidelines in Guidelines in 2020 2020
Professor Laurence Walsh AO is a clinically active specialist in special needs den-Professor Laurence Walsh AO is a clinically active specialist in special needs dentistry who is based at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. Laurie has been tistry who is based at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. Laurie has been teaching infection control and clinical microbiology for over 25 years at postgrad-teaching infection control and clinical microbiology for over 25 years at postgraduate level and has been the chief examiner in microbiology for the RACDS for the uate level and has been the chief examiner in microbiology for the RACDS for the past 20 years. He has presented invited courses and lectures on infection control past 20 years. He has presented invited courses and lectures on infection control across Australia and internationally. Laurie has written over 60 articles on infection across Australia and internationally. Laurie has written over 60 articles on infection control and in addition published over 320 journal papers and a further 190 technical reports and control and in addition published over 320 journal papers and a further 190 technical reports and literature reviews. He serves on two committees of Standards Australia (personal protecting equip-literature reviews. He serves on two committees of Standards Australia (personal protecting equipment; and instrument reprocessing) and in recent years has been an adviser to the Communicable ment; and instrument reprocessing) and in recent years has been an adviser to the Communicable Diseases Network of Australia and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Diseases Network of Australia and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Laurie has been a member of the ADA Infection Control Committee since 1998. He has contributed Laurie has been a member of the ADA Infection Control Committee since 1998. He has contributed to various protocols, guidelines and checklists and manuals used in Australia. to various protocols, guidelines and checklists and manuals used in Australia.
REGISTRATION FEES REGISTRATION FEES
Dentists Dentists $660 inc$660 inc gst gst Others Others $330 inc$330 inc gst gst
n n On-Demand access to 26 Online Learning Videos On-Demand access to 26 Online Learning Videos (Over 6 hours of education). (Over 6 hours of education). n n Online Learning Companion Booklet. Online Learning Companion Booklet. n n Suggested Reading Material Booklet. Suggested Reading Material Booklet. n n Access to regular Q&A Webinar(s). Access to regular Q&A Webinar(s). n n Online Questionnaire to earn 6 Hours of CPD. Online Questionnaire to earn 6 Hours of CPD.
Infection Contol Boot Camp is presented by Dentevents, a division of Main Street Publishing Pty Ltd ABN 74 065 490 655 • www.dentevents.com • info@dentist.com.au Infection Contol Boot Camp is presented by Dentevents, a division of Main Street Publishing Pty Ltd ABN 74 065 490 655 • www.dentevents.com • info@dentist.com.au Tel: (02) 9929 1900 • Fax: (02) 9929 1999 • Infection Contol Boot Camp™ and Dentevents™ are trademarks of Main Street Publishing P/L © 2020 Main Street Publishing Pty LtdTel: (02) 9929 1900 • Fax: (02) 9929 1999 • Infection Contol Boot Camp™ and Dentevents™ are trademarks of Main Street Publishing P/L © 2020 Main Street Publishing Pty Ltd
