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Office Cleanliness and Sterilization

A Couple New Concerns You May Not Have Heard About.

In today’s world, with all the new viruses and bacteria, we need to be concerned about the health of our families when we visit the dentist.

We have long been advocates of proper dental office sterilization and cleanliness. If you are already a patient of Dr. Kurthy, you’ve seen our diligence in protecting you. You’ve seen all the disposables we use. You’ve seen all the instruments and drills come out of the sterilized bags.

But did you know that since 1985 we have gone to the extent of having a dental university routinely monitor our sterilizing equipment to ensure your safety? How about the water bottles you've seen next our dental chairs for many years? Do you know what they’re for? There is a new concern about the safety of dental unit water lines? Those very tiny water lines that lead to the dental drill and dental water spray have been found to breed bacteria over weeks, months, and years.

To the left and below you will see several photos showing just a few of the things we do to protect you from any sort of contamination. We've been leaders in the area of office sterilization for almost twenty years, and we've always been several years ahead of the pack on these dental office contamination issues that seem to keep popping up. We're proud of our efforts, so please excuse us if we brag a little.

You’ve seen this water bottle system in our office since 1993. Dr. Kurthy was the first dentist in Orange County to use this type of system. This system uses two bottles – one for water, and the other for disinfectant. It allows us to disinfect the dental water lines each and every day. This prevents harmful bacteria from ever colonizing in these lines. And the system also has an air sterilizer!

Here's how the system works: It would takes at least 48 hours to even START bacteria growing on the inside surface of the line (biofilm). In the photo you see a large water bottle on the left, a smaller bottle of FDA approved blue Sterisol disinfectant on the right, and an air sterilizer in the middle. At the end of the day, all water is removed from the water lines by forcing compressed sterile air through the lines. Then the lines are filled with the high level disinfectant. It only takes a few minutes for the disinfectant to work, yet we leave it in the lines over night -- each and every night -- and over each weekend. In the morning before we see patients we place fresh water in the bottle, remove the disinfectant from the lines, and flush fresh water through the lines.

During your visits to the dentist, you may have noticed that the syringe that the dentist uses to squirt water into your mouth also sprays air. And the drill also sprays out air and water. So now you know that both the water AND air coming from Dr. Kurthy's equipment is ALWAYS free from harmful bacteria.

You’ve probably heard on the TV news that there is a danger of ‘back splash’ from the suction tube that is placed in your mouth at the dentist. That’s why we have installed special valves on our system that PREVENTS contaminated fluids from splashing back into your mouth. In the photo to the right, the dental assistant is showing this valve. You also see the disposable suction tips that are placed in your mouth and the disposable sheaths that are even placed around the suction lines below these tips. Of course, we dispose of all of these materials after each and every patient.

About fifteen years ago the TV program 60 Minutes aired a show exposing the common problem of contamination of dental drills. 60 Minutes was able to show that the vast majority of dental offices did not sterilize their drills -- they only wiped down the outside of these drills between patients. Viruses and bacteria were able to breed inside the drills, and actually come out during their use in your mouth. They even showed that a large number of dentists did not even have sterilizers in their offices. This was very embarrassing for the dental profession.

Years ago, we couldn't sterilize our dental drills. The turbines would rust even after one trip through the sterilizer. Finally, one dental drill manufacturer did develop a drill that could withstand sterilizing. Dr. Kurthy immediately purchased several of these drills and had his existing drills retrofitted with the new turbines. This was long before that 60 Minutes program. Again, we were proud to be leaders in this practice, years before the rest of the profession.

In the photo to the left you see our autoclave sterilization machine. My assistant is placing instruments and drills into the sterilization chamber. Notice how these instruments and drills are in special bags. These bags allow the instruments inside to be sterilized, and they KEEP them sterile after they come out of the autoclave. The instruments and drills are not removed from these bags until they are ready for use on each patient.

Obviously, any piece of equipment can malfunction. This is why Dr. Kurthy has had a dental university routinely monitor his sterilization equipment since 1985 to be certain his instruments are ALWAYS sterile. Back in 1985 it was common for hospitals to have their sterilization equipment monitored, but it was virtually unheard of for a dental office.

In the photo to the left you will see sterilized instruments and a drill in the sterilization bags, and you also see the blue plastic wrappers on the handles of the dental light and table. These handle covers are disposed of and replaced between each patient. Without the covers, our disinfection of these units between patients might not be as effective. With these covers, we remove most of the contamination when they are removed, before we disinfect the handles and the rest of the equipment.

Years ago Dr. Kurthy also retro-fitted his air/water spray syringes so that he can use disposable plastic tips. This prevents any possibility of contamination of the water as it goes through tips that may have been used on previous patients. You'll see in the photo to the left a sample of these disposable plastic tips.

As you can see, Dr. Kurthy goes to great lengths to be certain your visit to our office is not only enjoyable, but SAFE! Thanks for allowing us to brag a little.

Rodger Kurthy, DMD ~ 23032 Alicia Pkwy Suite D ~ Mission Viejo, CA 92692 ~ Phone: 949.588.1600

Rodger Kurthy DDS is a sedation and cosmetic dentist in Mission Viejo, California. Services provided by Dr. Kurthy include sedation dentistry,
cosemtic dentistry, bleaching, re-shaping of teeth, cosmetic bonding, dental makeovers, laser dentistry, implant dentistry, and more.

Now serving the Mission Viejo, Coto de Caza, Ladera Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita,
Foothill Ranch, Laguna Niguel, El Toro, Laguna Hills, Portola Hills, and Lake Forest Areas.