Best Practices For Sterilizing Handpieces

https://www.cdc.gov/dental-infection-control/hcp/dental-ipc-faqs/dental-handpieces.html

Dental handpieces: Cleaning & sterilizing

• Internal components of air driven handpieces = contaminated with

  • Blood

  • Saliva

  • Patient materials

Handpieces that need heat sterilization

• High speed, low speed, electrical, endodontic, surgical handpieces

• Prophy angles

• Nose cones

• Handpiece attachments

Exception

• Removable dental unit pieces —> follow manufacturer’s instructions for reprocessing

  • Need special cleaning, lubrication, sterilization

NOT acceptable

• Surface disinfection only

• Wiping low w/ low level disinfectant

• Immerson in germicides

• High level disinfection instead of sterilization

Heat sterilization is required

If handpeice cannot be sterilized

NOT FDA approved for reprocessing

• Cordless handpieces must be FDA cleared

• Do NOT use the device

Summary

• All reusable dental handpieces and attachments must be heat sterilized between patients.

• Surface disinfection and high-level disinfection are NOT acceptable substitutes for heat sterilization.

• Always follow the manufacturer's validated reprocessing instructions.

• Do not use handpieces that cannot be heat sterilized and lack FDA-cleared reprocessing instructions.