Dental Asia January/February 2024

CLINICAL FEATURE
Best-practice in instrument
reprocessing: The hygiene
workflow in the practice of
Dr Kayla Teh
With a team of 16 staff and four treatment
rooms, Dr Kayla Teh’s practice focuses on
various aspects of dental conservation,
prevention and aesthetics. To ensure a
high quality of care and meet patient
expectations, the practice places
importance on a seamless hygiene
chain for instrument reprocessing. This
article outlines Dr Teh’s best-practice
procedures, emphasising the importance
of reliable instrument decontamination and
patient safety.
SYSTEM SOLUTION FOR INSTRUMENT
REPROCESSING
Instrument reprocessing is a critical
procedure involving physical or chemical
methods to decontaminate reusable medical
devices, ensuring their safety for subsequent
use on patients and handling by staff. The
primary objective of instrument reprocessing
is to safeguard the wellbeing of both
patients and practice staff by effectively
eliminating harmful microorganisms present
on the instruments.
To achieve comprehensive instrument
decontamination, a series of essential steps
must be followed. These steps include
cleaning and disinfection, inspection,
packaging, sterilisation, as well as
documentation and approval. Adherence
to international guidelines is paramount,
as they emphasise the necessity for
trained personnel to execute the entire
instrument reprocessing process using
closely monitored procedures to ensure
reproducibility. These stringent requirements
serve to enhance the health and safety of
patients, users, and all individuals involved.
Dr Kayla Teh’s practice has adopted a
comprehensive system solution from
German solution provider, MELAG. This
solution integrates components such as
autoclaves, washer-disinfectors, sealing
devices, and software solutions into a
single workflow. By utilising this solution,
the practice ensures a streamlined and
synchronised process for instrument
reprocessing.
At the heart of the system solution approach
is a personalised experience for the practice’s
patients. With the provision of a central
contact, the practice gains the advantage of
having a single point of contact to address all
infection control questions, providing prompt
and comprehensive support. Whether there
are inquiries regarding device operation,
maintenance, or troubleshooting, the central
contact from MELAG ensures that the
practice receives immediate assistance,
thus delivering an efficient instrument
reprocessing processes.
Efficiency is a paramount consideration for
any dental practice, and a system solution in
the decontamination room can optimise costs
and synchronise services. By harmonising the
service of all devices in the decontamination
42 DENTAL ASIA JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2024