Level Up Infection Prevention Podcast

In this episode of the Level of Infection Prevention Podcast, our guest is Duane Tinker, also known as the “Tooth Cop.” He is one of the top compliance experts in the country, has over 20 years as an Emergency Medical Technician and ten years as a Law Enforcement Officer. His unique experiences have given him a unique perspective and a wealth of experience of what to do when it comes to compliance and risk management. Today, he discusses the importance of compliance in a dental practice and what you must do to establish compliance with your business.

What is Compliance in a Dental Practice?

[1:50]

Compliance is about adhering to requirements in many areas that rules and regulations about a dental practice. Duane says that there are many things that we have to comply with and many other regulations and rules that we have to implement and follow in a dental practice. Compliance is about having a series of mechanisms and systems to make sure the way you operate your dental practice is within the rules and regulations. You can incorporate that into your business practice because it’ll protect the practice and your staff from both civil and criminal liability for not complying with regulations.

Creating Compliance in a Dental Practice

[3:30]

Most people glaze over or gag on the word “compliance.” Some people follow the rules, and people struggle with authority. The idea of compliance starts with identifying rules and regulations. People have to comply with and establish compliance that people can oversee. For most dental practices and even corporate dentistry, there are so many different roles that need to be addressed by compliance.

Top Compliance Areas that the ICC needs to Handle

[7:45]

Duane says to focus on things that are immediate threats to the safety and security of your patients and staff, especially to your patient’s health information. When you think about compliance, it can be overwhelming. So you need to develop a plan and figure out the big things you need to focus on. Figure out the most significant risks you face in your practice and take care of those first. Put a system in place, check to ensure it is working and put it on the back burner. Then come back and double-check it later on and move on to the next thing. The whole thing about managing the compliance program is it’s like a marathon. It’s not a race, there’s no finish line, and you will never finish. The whole goal of having a compliance program is to leave the office tomorrow in better shape than you left it today.

Importance of Compliance

[10:50]

One of Duane’s main complaints is that they are swamped on time to comply. He says that you have to prioritize and allocate time to address it. You have to give time and resources to address your compliance concerns because when something happens, that affects the practice negatively, they are 100% preventable. But to prevent them from happening, you have to be dedicated to looking at your systems and identifying where and what you need to make tweaks. Then you make a commitment and follow through with that.

Overcoming the Overwhelmingness of Compliance

[14:05]

Just do the best you can to evaluate your practice periodically. Schedule it throughout the year, looking at different aspects of your practice. You won’t have a general idea of where you are, where you’re going, and what you need to do to comply with your state’s requirements. Make sure to pay registration fees and systematically do that with each of the different risk areas that affect your practice. Do a record on it once a year and involve your whole staff.

[16:00]

You will find many mistakes. Many people use templates and what you need to identify and recognize in that is if your template is complete. Figure out if you are deleting information from a template that doesn’t pertain to a particular situation. Know if your staff is leaving parts of the template blank, not realizing that they need to delete it, or deleting information that doesn’t apply to a given situation.

Addressing Compliance

[25:18]

Sometimes, all it takes is just somebody that cares enough to allow you to discover for yourself that you’re not there. You have great people and a great dental practice, but there are some things that you’re just not ready for. Getting that information and doing something with it in a meaningful way is understanding that it’s not about compliance. Sometimes, it’s about understanding and addressing how to manage your risks. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Manage your risks and do the right thing. Take care of yourselves, your practice, run efficiently, and ensure everybody’s safe.

Learn more about Duane Tinker at:

Website: https://dentalcompliance.com/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/dentalcompliance

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ddscompliance

The ability to organize objects for rapid access is the golden grail in all facets of life. It saves you time and effort in recovering these items, as well as money on perishable foods that have been stored and forgotten. Tina discusses how Zirc has aided professionals, including private practitioners, by giving adequate and quick solutions to typically unorganized objects and how these simple solutions have improved workflow productivity.

Zirc Dental Products

[01:30]

Zirc Dental Products was established in the year 1967. Jim Campion, the company's CEO, and founder saw a gap in the market for products that provide solutions to dental team members, such as time, savings, and products that help make dental teams safer, happier, and more productive. Those three philosophies are the foundation of the company.

[03:39]

Many of us in the industry take pleasure in our ability to think critically about organization and desire to adopt things that we have a spot for everything to be. What's critical to note is the distinction between being structured and efficient within your organization.

[04:20]

Eliminate daily pressures, concerns, and feelings of overload in your life. Because the reality is that around 80% of everything we own is unused daily. When you consider that percentage concerning the totality of our lives, it's enormous, especially when we're disorganized. According to Andrew Mellon, a best-selling author and productivity expert, we can waste up to a year of our lives searching for misplaced objects.

Working with teams

[05:15]

Teams must evaluate the value of their time in their practice. The consequence of disrupting the flow of a procedure when having to stop to find a missing instrument or material is detrimental. It’s not only wasting time, it also adds frustration for the clinicians and the patient. Schedule a time to address these issues rather than allowing them to fester.

[09:34]

It must be a collaborative effort. There is not a single department that is more powerful than the others. Color Method is Zirc's streamlined approach to instrument and material organization. They aid with organizing the necessary devices and supplies by associating a color with each of the procedures. And in doing so, they add a visual component to create a "grab and go" organization. It can significantly help teams in optimizing their workflows and saving them time.

[12:44]

When working with teams, have them begin by assigning a color to each procedure they offer in their practice. Zirc has 16 vibrant colors available to match any decor and creates a fun and pleasing atmosphere. Zirc works one-on-one with teams to truly understand their current systems and what makes their practice unique. This critical step allows them to understand each practice's desired and unique needs.

[14:36]

Reprocessing becomes simple and efficient. Any team member will be able to step in to assist with this duty as each component of the same color is entered into the sterilization pouch together. This will eliminate the chance of missing instrumentation at chairside. The ability to cross-train employees provides a shared understanding of each department's duties and provides a cohesive culture.

[15:45]

Avoid the concept and inefficiency of storing many operatories with expensive dental materials that can become misplaced, disheveled, and expire. Zirc’s procedure tubs can act as a portable drawer that can be moved throughout the clinic. Think of the money saved when you are stocking one tub per procedure vs all the same materials in multiple operatories.

[18:41]

Color Method isn't one-size-fits-all. There are no two practices that are the same, and there is also a wide range of clinicians. This is where Zirc's services come in: listening, understanding, and determining what is required. They customize a plan for each individual practice or group. [19:40]

Our schedules can get behind when we're disorganized. Inventory management is a difficult yet essential part of a functioning practice. It can be a pain to keep track of stocks. It takes time for someone to learn that function, but knowing what we have on hand is vital to the office’s overhead. When is it appropriate to place an order? How much will this cost, and where is the most efficient place to store all these supplies? In the day-to-day lives of dental team members, there is a lot of stress.

[21:44]

Begin to comprehend what our objectives are? What do we want to achieve in the coming year? What do we aim to improve on? Sometimes, teams aren't even aware that they're dealing with a lot of dysfunction. As a new team member, nothing is more fearful than arriving at a practice with no idea where anything is and what systems are in place. Now imagine the ease and joy of entering central sterilization and seeing a color-code chart with all your procedure trays and tubs organized with everything you'll need right at your fingers instead….what a bliss.

[28:22]

Take a look and contact Zirc for those individualized solutions. Whether you're a private practice, an extensive group practice, or a DSO, they deal with organizations of all shapes and sizes. One of the services that they provide, aside from organization, is a discussion where you pick up the phone, speak with one of their clinical and efficiency specialists, and start the conversation about how you want to improve at XY and Z this year. Life is all about timing, and your team must be willing to try something new and different and let Zirc be the solution for you.

Go to https://www.zirc.com/ to browse through Zirc's innovative products for you and your business. Take the first step of organization and connect with a Zirc organization and efficiency consultant today. Get Organized | Zirc See the difference Color Method can make in your day. https://bit.ly/2ZfYMXy

In this episode of the Level Up Infection Prevention Podcast, we have invited Rolando Mia from Zyris- a company known for a product called Isolite. We’re going to dive into what’s happening in their company, the problems they’re having, and how are they coming up with a solution to mitigate infections during this pandemic era. Stay tuned!

What’s happening at Zyris?

[1:21]

Zyris is a medical device manufacturer. The premise that they’re approaching the market with is they believe everybody deserves more comfort and safety. They discovered that with the advent of COVID, when people look at their infection control protocols, wiping down surfaces, people believe that their IC protocols are effective but they think that it’s somewhat of a fallacy. The eye-opening part of it has to do with looking at how people deal with infection control. Now, their system, the Isolite was seen as effective at mitigating and eliminating aerosols.

[3:36]

They also discovered an effective way to help practices disinfect the entire office. They came up with the Velop. Velop is an operatory sprayer and it enables you to use the disinfectant which they discovered to cover everything in your dental practice. In addition to the traditional surfaces that clinicians are cleaning and wiping down, it enables clinicians to disinfect and cover walls, doors, door handles, the waiting room, the restrooms, hallways, etc This system gives you the ability to do that very quickly and efficiently, without requiring you to wipe everything down.

Disinfectants

[6:53]

Zyris chose a disinfectant, hypochlorous acid, that's naturally occurring in the human body. They want it to be as safe as possible and make sure that it was efficacious. The first step is to find a disinfectant that works.

[10:02]

The second part has to do with how do you get that onto the surfaces in a manner that is effective. Zyris tested hundreds of different nozzles, pressures, and came up with the perfect combination of air pressure, and size so that when you're using Zyris’ Velop, the size of the particles is basically a mist, or around 100 microns, which means it can travel far enough and carry enough of the disinfectant onto the surface. 

Infection Control

[20:25]

With the advent of COVID, infection control has become more important than ever. Dr. Hirsch, Zyris’ inventor, uses a system. He sprays his patients coming in and going out, and reassures them that it's good. With the system, you can pick it up, and within several minutes, spray, not only your chair, but all of the hard surfaces like the floor around your operatory, countertops, handles, drawers that you're using. You don't have to wipe it down.

[27:46]

If you have a busy clinic or practice, you've got a lot of people coming in. In addition to wiping down, which is generally effective, give the surfaces a good spray especially in the areas that people are touching. Let it sit there, dry, and you're reassured that it's nice and clean.

Visit their website to know more:

https://www.zyris.com/

In recent decades, medical modernization has progressed to new heights by providing high-quality services to clients. Inventions and modifications to existing equipment are critical to realizing these advancements. In today’s episode, Michael Infanger discusses his inventions, which help dentists and hygienists deliver better care to their patients.

Michael’s Background

[01:10] 

Michael was a computer engineer who hung out with college kids. People assumed he was a dental student since he would join them at their parties and events. Because of this, he married a dental student at the time.

 [02:48] 

There’s a $20 billion market for safety syringes on the medical side. Michael’s team then began to examine the workflow and how dentists and hygienists function to determine that all they needed to do was be very conscious of the change. They needed to produce a minor deviation in the process but had a significant impact.

Unique Invention

[05:46] 

Instead of a needle that slides back up, Michael chose a retractable sheath that you grip with your hands in a specified position. It’s meant to recap that needle and allows you to guide your eye and where it needs to go and not go. When a needle bends during a process, it is easy to recap this. When you throw it and pull it off, it’s pretty challenging to get it back, especially the needle, once the syringe is removed.

[06:37] 

The best needles are safer, lasts longer, and cause less harm to the patient. They looked at several coating technologies, but what was available on the market at the time was not relevant. There are a lot of tough coatings that flake or fracture and flex, and needles frequently deflect during procedures that don’t function, so those coatings can’t be used. They constructed their coding over a long period, employing technology found in nature journals or provided by the researcher, to develop a robust system and very low friction over low friction and flexible enough to flex.

The System of Injections

[08:23] 

A significant portion of injection pain is psychological. So, if you have a product that you are familiar with, it will cause minor damage. If you tell a patient that, they can be offended. Oh, that’s intriguing. It’s worth having a needle fear to prime the patient if something you know works. There are a lot of absolute agonies associated with needles, and it’s something that anyone can and should adopt. More significantly, you should consider the system as a whole.

Creating Safer Syringes

[11:22] 

Michael’s team is developing their syringe, slimmer, and a smaller reengage for the hygiene community. They discovered that out of 50 hygienists, 40, or some odd states, can provide injections when they invented this. Because they know that the neighborhood is primarily women, they believe injections will be given out in large quantities.

[12:50] 

It’s shaped like the current dental needle. This system will be aligned with your syringe as before. Threading is incorporated into the needle, so it slides on effortlessly, and a distinctive clicking sound indicates when it’s secure. Then remove the top capsule as before. On either side of the needle are two little buttons that we call our low-profile grip, where you rest your finger on those palms down and hold and spin the sheath. Dismantle the cyber sheath. The sheath covers the syringe, but the exposed aspiration needles may be seen through the side slots. It’s deliberate.

[14:18] 

When teaching how far to give your injection in primary school, the long is most definitely not the only length. The size of Michael’s designed needle with that coating is what dental schools talk about when deciding how to inject, so you won’t have to worry about going in too deep. You merely sit down in your seat, and the black paint fades away. The sheet is about one millimeter thick, allowing the needle sheath to sit a bit further back. As a result, it won’t get in the way of your operation, and it doesn’t get in the form of you injecting.

The Challenge of the Pandemic

[18:30] 

Michael was already marketing various safety disposables before the epidemic. However, the pandemic showed them that managing inventory and stabilizing pricing is challenging. They do it on their lunch break or whenever they have free time. Michael’s team tries to roll all of those safety disposables that you use chairside into a subscription platform.

[21:43] They can accomplish this in part in the supply management chain because they work on a subscription basis, go-to vendors, and allot six or twelve months of inventory to them. They are unconcerned about running out of supplies. Or they might inform us, “Hey, we’re going to be low in four months.” As a result, they may want to stock up at a different location. However, during the month when Michael’s team is working with your office, they are unconcerned about running out of supplies.

Purchasing Michael’s Product

[23:57] 

Since there is no minimum purchase requirement, you continue customizing until you have a unique setup based on how you purchase. If there is a central purchasing area or office, each can buy what they require, but the main person can log into town and get a comprehensive report of what each office has been purchasing and how frequently they purchase.

[26:16] 

You can request the safe cap product samples by visiting www.verenasolutions.com. You may look over everything and pick and choose what you like and don’t like. Then get your account set up. A small link at the top says brain a plus; go there and fill out the straightforward web form, and they’ll contact you.

Go to https://www.verenasolutions.com/ to know more about this revolutionary approach towards quality products that provides safety and solutions to modern problems. 

Keyboards and mouse are essential computer peripherals. Keyboards are used to input data while the mouse interacts with anything on the screen. These two components are the most used peripherals, exposed to the environment, and the ones that we are always in contact with. Thus, it is crucial for these peripherals to always be cleaned and disinfected to ensure our safety. But how can you disinfect keyboards and mice without damaging them? In this episode, we invited Natasha from Man & Machine. Natasha shares how Man & Machine revolutionized the industry through washable keyboards and mice commonly used in the medical field and military, such as the Marines.

What is Man & Machine?

[01:04]

Man & Machine started as a small computer repair facility in Landover, Maryland. They slowly transitioned to enhancing computer monitors in marine applications. Because of their work in marine applications, many customers started asking for waterproof keyboards and mice that they could use on boats. That’s what led them to their current focus: washable mice and keyboards.

[02:11]

Currently, they have two different variations that they offer: Medical Grade and Sealed keyboards and mice. The other one is the washable line of keyboards and mice that are more traditional and open-style and internally sealed so you won’t damage them when you wash them. They also offer mouse pads, laptop keypad covers and large silicone sheets that can be sterilized.

Specifications

[5:32]

Man & Machine offers the traditional scroll wheel mouse that everyone is used to. You can spray, wipe, and sink rinse them without damaging anything internally. Same with their keyboards which range in size from 13 inches to 17 inches wide with numerical keypads. They designed them with a fitted drape containing the legend keys printed on them to allow the user to see what keys are being pressed.

Preventing accidental key presses when cleaning the keyboards

[08:48]

Except for the It’s Cool Variant, all of their keyboards have a feature called “TruLock.” TruLock is a technology they developed that allows users to lock the keys on their washable keyboard. After pressing the Function + F11 Key, the indicators from the Scroll Lock and Num Lock will flash, telling you that you can safely wipe your keyboards without inputting gibberish or unwanted commands to your system. Their Premium keyboards use the Control Keys to enable the “TruLock” feature.

Other Features and Specs

[16:37]

Man & Machine’s products have the “cool” moniker to them. The Very Cool and It’s Cool are recommended for operatory. The L Cool is recommended for administrative or front-desk areas where there may not be as many germs or aerosols, but you can still disinfect them if you want to. They also have fully-sealed keyboards, Really Cool to Slim Cool, which can be submerged in a 1:10 bleach solution.

[17:29]

Their Premium keyboards can be customized with custom-made cables from 12 inches to 16 feet. Their wireless keyboards operate on RF USB Dongle. Another amazing feature is you can pair both the keyboard and mice with the same USB dongle, so it only takes one USB port on your computer. Man & Machine is now launching a wireless keyboard that uses either Bluetooth or RF wireless.

To learn more about Man & Machine, visit:

Website: https://www.man-machine.com/  Use code LevelUP for 10% off!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ManAndMachine

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/man-machine-inc/?viewAsMember=true

Twitter: https://twitter.com/manandmachineco

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/man_and_machine_inc/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIN6hqKVjaXB4tooZoPXl9w

The N95 mask is a safety standard in healthcare and vitally important to protecting healthcare workers and patients. Luckily, with the help of bringing an innovative mask technology to the healthcare market, the strapless N-95 mask was born. In this episode, we have invited Scott Chasin and Dr. Lisa Kane. Today, they share the benefits and importance of using a strapless N-95.

Strapless N-95 Mask

[01:32]

Many people even say that the Strapless N-95 mask is more comfortable than a regular mask. If your mask isn't sealed around the sides, you're not protecting yourself. You should be protecting the patient a little bit better, and you get that in N-95 protection. Healthcare workers want to wear an N95 but don’t because of how uncomfortable they are.  The Strapless N95 makes this a choice that no longer need be made!

[05:44]

Dr. Kane was a pioneer in promoting the Strapless N-95 face mask since she has sensitive skin, and she noticed that she broke out when she used the surgical mask. When she found the strapless mask, “it's been a total game-changer for everyone, especially in the medical field.” 

Features of Strapless N-95 Mask

[08:45]

A great gentleman invented the mask by the name of John Schwind. The mask has a perimeter of medical-grade acrylic adhesive, and there's about a one-inch perimeter border of the acrylic adhesive tape. It comes in three sizes-small, large and extra-large, and it's a medical-grade hypoallergenic adhesive. The mask itself has three layers to the N-95 protection. There's an outer layer that provides strength and stability. There is a filter layer, the middle layer, which has a tight pore size distribution and electrostatic charge. And the innermost layer, which is intended to support the filtration layer and provide comfort to the wearer.  The mask's benefits are that, unlike with current masks where you can still get little openings depending on your movements in certain spots, with this mask, people can pass a FIT test with that perimeter border of adhesive, no matter the shape of your face.

[12:43]

The IFU states the mask is disposable, however the mask can be reapplied multiple times, if desired. The breathability is good in that you're able to breathe very easily. People can hear you speak through the mask; you don't have that muffled sound, the mask is cool, you don't sweat. Some people are allergic to adhesive, even band-aids, they can be the rare ones that have a mild reaction, and we'll get a report of somebody who does have that kind of issue that can't wear the mask.

[14:50]

The Strapless N95 comes in small, large, and extra-large, and large is by far the most popular size. If you have a full beard, you really shouldn't have anything between the mask seal and your skin. Other than that, you're going small or extra-large.

Distribution

[17:27]

On their website, straplessn95.com, you may order different sizes of strapless N-95, and you can also buy the mask directly off the website. Benco does carry their mask as well.  Use Coupon Code LevelUp35 for a 35% discount on all orders (excluding sample orders).

Clinical Tips using the mask

[19:08]

You may visit their website, and the most important page is  Video: N- 95 Application. It's a different video from people conducting a FIT test, but the application video is super important to watch. But interestingly enough, even people who watch the video may make mistakes even after watching the video, and there are about four mistakes that people generally make. Those are listed on the page.  The video talks about practicing in a mirror for the first few times, and you want to be sure to get your fingertips in the crease of the nose before drawing that horizontal line across under your eyes.

Recommendations

[26:49]

When you're taking it off, what I would do is take your gloves off, wash your hands, then take it off your face, then wash your hands. Ideally, one per patient, but for some people, what they're doing is they're wearing it all morning and then taking it off when they have lunch and throwing it out. I'm not excited about the idea of taking it and folding it up and putting it in your pocket and saving it for later.

Learn more about Scott and Dr. Kane on:

Website: https://straplessn95.com/  Use Coupon Code LevelUp35 for a 35% discount on all orders (excluding sample orders).

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-chasin-64893a68

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/straplessn95mask/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straplessn95mask/

In this episode of the Level Up Infection Prevention Podcast, we have invited Jim Langeloh from Dove Dental Products, a company dedicated to developing and bringing to the market cost-effective disposables for increasing patient safety. With their new products in the market, Jim shares his time to explain their latest products, all about backflow in the dental operations, how to prevent it, and why we should all be concerned about it. Don’t miss out!

All About Dove Dental Products

 [01:04]

 DOVE Dental Products’ presence in the dentistry industry has progressed since they started as a small start-up a few years ago. Because of COVID, disposables have been put on the map in the last two years. DOVE Dental advanced the product with more safety standards. They started as a saliva ejector valve and an HPE valve. Now, they’ve progressed to aerosol capturing HVE, saliva ejectors that capture aerosols. Backflow preventers are installed in every system. It's all about staying safe. As a result, they have a staff committed to developing safer products.

 What is Backflow?

 [03:05]

Similar to a straw when you're drinking out of a glass when you close around it, the fluid goes back the wrong way. Patients close around a saliva ejector, and it’s proven that 1 in 4.5 patients received backflow. Unfortunately, that's all the stuff that is inside this valve that has the likelihood of going the wrong way. If we're looking at 25% of the time and look at the market, most people never cleaned these.

[04:08]

All those patients in between are at tremendous risk for backflow. It happens in saliva ejectors, but the research points right to HVE. Unfortunately, it's the same vacuum. And if the patient closes around the HVE, they're just as likely to get backflow, whether it's HVE or SE, because of the same vacuum.

 [04:39]

Backflow is when the changes in air pressure go the wrong way. What affects it is our air pressure changes from room to room.

Importance of Sterilizing

[05:53]

Go to your dental chair and look at the original instruction guides. Under the assistance instrumentation guides, you will find that there are roughly two to three pages each for cleaning between patients cleaning routinely. Sterilizing, disassembling, etc., they give you a full view page of an extensive document of what should be done between patients. DOVE Dental Products guarantees that the valves are clean, disposable, and can stop that backfill from occurring.

Evacuation Valves

 [11:00]

One powerful thing that you can see is evacuation valves, and DOVE Dental is the only one that makes disposable evacuation valves. But there are innovative products on the market that address aerosols and help the patient and the dental professional stay safer. One of the most impactful things is evacuation. It's chairside, usually right over the patient, and patients can see firsthand. It’s not that old 1972 evacuation valve. It’s something new, looks safe, and works a little more advanced in their mouth.

In today's environment, we hear it all the time. It looks clean, and you are guaranteed that you don’t have to worry about backflow.

Double Arrow Saliva Ejector

 [15:26]

The double arrow saliva ejector is shortened. DOVE Dental had a panel of hygienists they worked with changing the saliva ejector’s distance.  They shrunk a standard saliva ejector down by almost two and a half inches. You can still make your turns, twists, and you can still access the patient's full mouth with the saliva ejector. They created sort of a funnel, where it connects to an HPE, and that funnel has just the right amount of air to give you a full poll on a slide projector.

Double Arrow Wide Mouth Saliva Ejector

[16:55]

The double arrow wide mouth has eventually settled on 22 millimeters. DOVE Dental came out with this huge wide mouth HBE, and it has exterior holes on the outside that allow you to capture aerosol if it sneaks by this huge 22-millimeter opening.

Affordable Products

[24:00]

DOVE Dental has made ten or more price decreases to make their products more affordable. Now, they are doing BOGOs and just trying to make sure any type of office can afford them, whether school or large group practice or just the small office. That’s the goal of DOVE Dental, which they continue to address as a team.

Tailcaps

[26:59]

These are super inexpensive little pieces of rubber, and you could reuse them. They're designed to be disposable. But it's a dual Tailcap, meaning it does two things. First, its cover slide projector covers HVE. It just makes things a little easier between patients. The other option is the patient’s leaves, tubing gets wiped down, the disposable valve gets tossed, and no one gets placed right on. Tail caps are great if you're a lengthy cleaner between repeat patients. If you're a fast change or have rooms, you can swap valve to valve, making it nice and easy. And that's why it's important to have those little tail pieces clean.

If you want to know more about DOVE Dental Products, visit their website at

https://www.dovedentalproducts.com/

Unhygienic practices have always been frowned upon in various industries. From the food you eat, the clothes you wear, to even the water you drink, hygiene is an essential aspect that everyone needs to take seriously. This sentiment should be more emphasized in the medical field, particularly in dentistry, where dentists use water to clean your mouth. Do you feel safe on the water you are using for your patients? In this episode, we have invited Mike Rust, Regional Sales Manager at ProEdge Dental Water Labs. Mike shares why dentists need to be mindful of the water they are using for their clients, how to treat the waterlines, and why you should be worried about your waterlines.

What is ProEdge Dental Water Labs?

[02:30]

ProEdge Dental Water Labs is the largest dental water testing laboratory globally. Mike shares that they deal with hundreds of water samples from dental offices across America. They test their waters and check if it’s a pass or failure. They help dental offices get the best results, ensure their water is safe, and protect their business and reputation. 

Why should you worry about your waterlines?

[04:40]

Mike explained that people never knew that contaminated dental water lines were a health risk to the general population until recently. Nobody thought that even healthy children could become sick from contaminated dental water lines. What more on immunocompromised patients? Mike explained that waterlines are the “perfect petri dish” for growing biofilms. Although biofilm is non-pathogenic, and you can drink from it, water containing biofilm is not ideal for dental practices. 

[06:37]

Mycobacterium abscessus made more than 230 children ill. It caused anxiety, lawsuits, and at the same time, creating awareness on water treatment. This type of incident is why ProEdge is hustling every day, ensuring that it doesn’t happen again.

What is the process of treating the waterlines?

[12:15]

Mike explained that water should be drinkable. To do that, a low level of disinfectant is needed. Any water used on patients should meet the “drinking water standard.” There are commercially available products on the market used to treat water, called “shock products.” When you “shock” your waterline on a Monday morning, the water is safe until Thursday afternoon because it takes 96 hours for the biofilm to reattach itself to the line.

What is the latest product ProEdge offers, and how does it work?

[19:02]

The Flow Cytometer is the most recent product ProEdge uses. Flow Cytometer counts the number of “bugs” or cells present in the water sample, whether alive, dead, or damaged. The procedure allows dental offices to get the results without waiting for a week.

Is testing done per operatory or for water bottle and operatory?

[22:23]

Mike explained that the state of Washington says that you can use pooled, combined, or commingled samples. A dentist shall test their waterlines every 90 days, and they don’t want you to take just one sample from your entire office of tens of operatories and put a drop from each one of them. Generally, ProEdge suggests people test every bottle separately. If there is a failure, you will know which one failed, and you will have to shock and retest them if necessary. 

Is Distilled Water safe?

[30:47]

Mike explained that distilled water grows biofilm a bit faster than your municipal tap water. Tap water contains some chlorine, and although it is statistically insignificant, it says a lot about distilled water. However, chlorines are not strong enough for dental waterline treatment. The water that comes out from the faucet from your home has the drinking standard 99% of the time, but it is vastly different once it goes to the dental waterline.

Complimentary Coaching

[36:00]

ProEdge helps anyone get safer water by helping them get better water test results, regardless if they are their customers or not. They are on this journey to help. Mike encourages everyone to visit their website for free consultations. They will not sell anything, but hopefully, you will like them so much that you want to do business with them.

Learn more about Mike and ProEdge on:

Website: https://proedgedental.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/proedge-dental/

               https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-rust-bba0b244/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/proedgedental/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProEdgeDental

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSugiQTRVaxwnOIiCj3eog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/proedgedental

In this episode of the Level Up Infection Prevention Podcast, our guest is Debra Dencek. She is the Founder and CEO of CordEze, a registered dental hygienist, and a certified ergonomic assessment specialist. Dencek graduated from Northern Arizona University with a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene, and she continues to work clinically while promoting ergonomics in dentistry. Today, she talks with us about CordEze and why it is an essential tool that every dental practitioner should have.

Deb’s Backstory

[1:43]

Deb morphed into this business owner, inventor, salesperson, and marketing person. She had to learn many hard lessons throughout her life, and many of them were very expensive lessons. After graduating, she would always recommend to other students to do temping at least for a short time because it can give you a quick lesson on adapting to each environment you go into.

Creating CordEze

[2:27]

Deb loves ultrasonic scaling. When she was still learning about it, she had to learn a lot of instrumentation. The reason she loved it is because it was easier on the body. But the issue was that the cord was always getting in her way. The cord issue became a drag. This led Deb to start and create CordEze, which helps practitioners become more efficient. You can readjust your hand or adjust the cord and then go back into the same spot you were originally in.

[4:04]

For Deb, there’s a difference between having a thought and having a vision or something that comes to you through the universe. That is where she gives grace because when she has a problem, the solution just comes through her. The next step was to take her idea and make it into something and bring it into the world. She then started making prototypes of wristbands until she finally got to CordEze.

Giving Ourselves Grace

[6:03]

Deb says that it’s important to give ourselves grace, learn something new, and implement something that we think will be helpful. It takes a minute for others to get used to doing something other than what they were taught in school. Maybe they need a referral from somebody that they trust. Then there are other people who just simply are hardcore at doing the things they did. Even if it hurts them in the long run, they continue to do the same thing.

Effectiveness of CordEze

[13:25]

A study done at the University of California put sensors on hygienists’ hands and forearms. They tested for the weight and the muscle workload with and without CordEze. The sensors were put on for muscle groups, and the combined muscle fatigue was reduced by 60% using CordEze. The cord pullback force was eliminated. Without CordEze, it measured 2.3 Newton. So it was 60 percent fewer non-functional grip adjustments. This equates to healthier employees and improved risk management, and you do not have to pay for people who take time off of work. Or, if they’re working through pain, they may or may not be as effective at their job.

Efficiency of CordEze

[17:15]

With anything, we can do to make ourselves more efficient, even if it’s using CordEze and being more efficient with our power instrumentation, know that every second saves time. You are making people happy at the end of the day. So with CordEze, it allows you to go quicker and become more efficient. It’s not that you’re doing a worse job. You’re just being efficient with that tool and using it the way it’s designed.

Using CordEze

[19:27]

In the Six Sense of Ergonomic, it is important to balance ourselves with proper positioning and make sure that we’re safe and our foundation is supported to work around a patient. Using CordEze, Deb found with HVE that everything goes out of the window because you have a hose to pivot. With the low volume, you follow the ultrasonic scaler’s tip a little more. You’re not able to do that as much, even if you have a lighter hose or a mirrored hose.

[23:24]

CordEze is an engineering control tool. People in dentistry all migrate to the PPE as the gold standard, and that’s the least effective safety measure you can have. But with CordEze, it is a necessary tool. Even though it is simple by design, we can’t afford any extra time to mess with things. So comfort was also the main focus of the tool. It had to be something that people could go in and out of very quickly.

CordEze Maintenance

[25:31]

With CordEze, you can wipe it down with an intermediate-level disinfectant. All of CordEze adapters and wristbands are autoclavable. So you can bag them and sterilize them in between patients. If you have a long enough glove to cover your wrist, you can glove over the CordEze wristband and put the cord on top of the glove. The smaller cords add an element of friction, too, so if your cord is little, it holds nicely.

[27:53]

Make sure that if you’re going to bag things together, the temperature doesn’t vary within that. So if you have metal touching something, test the limit. Just read the manufacturer on the autoclave because many of them are different in terms of time, temperature, and pressure. Keep everything as new as possible you can. Remember that, CordEze should last a long time with good care and attention.

Learn more about CordEze and Deb Dencek at:

Website: https://cordeze.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cordeze/

In this episode of the Level of Infection Prevention Podcast, our guest is Debora Carrier. She is the Founder and CEO of Twice as Nice Uniforms, a company that creates stylish scrubs with a performance liner that regulates your body temperature, wicks moisture, and is antimicrobial. For the last five years, Debora has been dedicated to developing the best temperature regulating, moisture-wicking, antimicrobial uniforms. Today, she talks with us about how she started her company and the importance of comfort, style, and protection in medical garments.

Starting her Business

[1:27]

Debora has been a hygienist for over 40 years. She started her uniform company Twice as Nice Uniforms in 2015 because of spending too much time battling the thermostat with the dental assistant. She learned that the thermostat is one of the main conflicts in the dental office between the employees. Debora then started her journey to resolving that issue to get more comfort in her office. Another problem she saw was that people were not wearing their PPE’s because of the heat. So that appalled her to her uniform journey.

Building Twice as Nice

[3:54]

As Debora started her journey into the uniform business, she changed everything she did not like about uniforms. She made her products nicer fabrics, more fitted, stylish, and comfortable. She found that there wasn’t a uniform company that focused on the needs in dentistry, so she made a dental jacket that made sense to all dental practitioners.

[6:15]

What started out as making herself comfortable turned into making everybody comfortable, professional, and safe. And because of COVID-19, safety became the main priority in Debora’s products.

Dressing Professionally and Comfortably

[7:20]

If you’re dressed comfortably, safely, and you look good, you will perform way better at work. When we look good, we feel good. So everybody reaps the benefits of Twice as Nice.

Disinfecting the Gowns

[9:53]

When you’re finished with your patient, when you’re wiping down your room, you can just wipe down your gown with whatever it is that you want. Many of Debora’s customers would wipe down their gown in-between patients and change it at lunchtime, and then it goes to be laundered. The beauty of wiping it down is an excellent alternative to changing it out every after every patient.

Signature Products

[13:40]

Debora’s products are 100% made in the USA. One of her signature products is their surgical caps. What makes it unique is that it has buttons and can attach a mask. But if you constantly autoclave it, it will break down the thread holding that button.

The fabric used by Twice as Nice

[16:16]

With the fabric of every product, they have a liner that regulates the temperature. The gowns have sleeves that were explicitly made for practitioners who had tattoos. And because they’re made out of a temperature regulating fabric, people liked the product and its protection.

The Comfort Shield

[18:20]

The comfort shield was designed to be super lightweight, and it clips right into your loops, glasses, and even on your scrub cap. It is so light and clear that many of Debora’s customers don’t realize that they still have their comfort shield on.

Protection against Radiation

[21:27]

One of Debora’s products has radiation protection that was thought of by Dr. Kwane Watson from a mobile dentistry practice in Kentucky. Debora and Dr. Kwane wanted to make a vest with a fabric that protected the wearer from radiation. They made it lightweight and with temperature regulation and can also be worn by the patient as a better fitting “lead apron”. Though not everyone in a clinic needs one, it is handy, especially if a practitioner constantly needs to be in the X-Ray room.

[24:57]

The process of traditional X-Rays is long, and the process for one X-Ray to develop would take long enough. But with digital, X-Rays can be done multiple times until the perfect result is achieved. But with the constant radiation, the protection of Twice as Nice’s products is essential.

Other Products

[25:52]

Twice as Nice also has patient bibs in 2 sizes. These bibs are made where you don’t have to use the boom clip and do all the other hassle stuff and actually act as a bib!. It is basically a piece of paper that adheres to the patient’s clothing and lays flat. The bibs have an activation process when you open them up, and it makes this adhesive so it sticks to a patient’s clothing.

Learn more about Debora Carrier and Twice as Nice Uniforms:

Website: https://twiceasniceuniforms.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/twiceasniceuniforms

Twitter: http://twitter.com/twiceasniceunis

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/deboracarrier