From chairside to steriliser: safe and effective instrument reprocessing

Course Overview

Safe instrument reprocessing begins at the point of use and continues through transportation, cleaning, inspection, classification and preparation for sterilisation.

This webinar follows contaminated reusable medical devices through the reprocessing workflow. Participants will explore safe sharps management, instrument transportation, reprocessing-room workflow and the use of manual and mechanical cleaning methods.

The session will also cover inspection and drying, Spaulding classification, packaging requirements, batch identification, steriliser loading and selecting the appropriate cycle for the load.

Key topics

• Sharps, waste and instrument transportation

• Reprocessing-room workflow

• Manual and mechanical cleaning and drying of instruments

• Spaulding classification

• Packaging and batch identification

• Loading the steriliser and cycle selection

Learning outcomes

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Describe how contaminated instruments should be handled and transported safely.

• Recognise the importance of unidirectional workflow in the reprocessing area.

• Compare manual and mechanical instrument-cleaning methods.

• Identify the key requirements for ultrasonic cleaning, inspection, rinsing and drying.

• Classify reusable medical devices according to their intended use.

• Determine the level of reprocessing required for different instrument classifications.

• Explain the principles of correct packaging and batch identification.

• Describe key considerations when loading a steriliser and selecting a cycle.

Who should attend

Dentists, Specialists, Hygienists/Therapists, Practice Owners, Practice Managers, Dental Assistants/Nurses, and Front Office Coordinators.