Infection control plays a critical role in dental practice to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases between patients and dental professionals. Dental instruments and tools are potential infection transmission routes, so they must be properly cleaned and sterilized after each use.
Dentists follow strict sterilization and disinfection protocols to ensure that their tools are safe for use on every patient. Dental tools are first cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner to remove organic matter, and then they are sterilized in an autoclave, which uses high pressure and steam to kill bacteria and viruses. Some dental tools, such as handpieces, can be difficult to sterilize, so they are often heat-sealed in pouches and sterilized in a dry heat sterilizer. Dental practices also use disposable tools whenever possible to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.