Dentisan

As a Research and Development Chemist at dentisan, I’m a big fan of Biocleanse Ultra wipes for most effective cleaning and disinfection – especially as they’re alcohol free. Why? Well, alcohol-based wipes have been shown to fix protein contamination to instruments and surfaces, and I want instruments and surfaces to be as clean as possible. As it states in HTM01-05 section 6.57:

‘ The use of disinfectant or detergent will reduce contamination on surfaces. If there is obvious blood contamination, the presence of protein will compromise the efficacy of alcohol-based wipes.

NOTE: Alcohol has been shown to bind blood and protein to stainless steel. The use of alcohol with dental instruments should therefore be avoided.’

So, alcohol-free Biocleanse Ultra wipes’ unique formula will help keep your practice clean and prevent cross-contamination.

 One thing I particularly like about Biocleanse Ultra wipes is that they are available in a re-usable tub. However, it’s important to follow our procedure when refilling the tub once it’s empty, to ensure the new wipes don’t get contaminated by any residues or dirt that have built up from handling the tub, so I’ve put together an easy step-by-step guide for you.

 N.B. Make sure you’re wearing gloves before you start!

 1.       Grab your refill bag of wipes.

2.       Unscrew the lid from the tub and remove the empty bag and discard.

3.       Wash the lid and empty tub under hot running water inside and out.

4.       Make sure the tub and lid are dried thoroughly.

5.       Now to the refill bag: cut along the dotted line with scissors to open it (do not tear it by hand!).

6.       Squeeze the bag to get rid of any excess air, then insert the bag containing the wipes into the new tub – do not take the wipes out of the refill bag as this can expose the wipes to contaminants.

7.       Pull the first wipe up from the middle of the bag and carefully feed it through the hole in the middle of the lid.

8.       Replace the lid, tuck the top of the wipe under the liftable tab and secure the lid firmly.

9.       Now you’re ready to go!

10.   Remember to close the lid each time after removing a wipe to make sure the wipes stay moist in the tub.

 And that’s all there is to it!

 Grab > empty > hot wash > dry > re-fill > feed > close lid > done!

 I look forward to sharing some more useful tips with you in my next blog…

 Laura

I take my life as a scientist very seriously – for me it’s not just a 9 to 5 but something that falls outside those hours too. I’m also a real advocate of continuing education and love being part of what’s developing and new in the world of chemistry.

Some years ago, I became a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry – the UK’s professional body for chemical scientists which exists to advance excellence in the chemical sciences. With 54,000 members worldwide and an international publishing business, the RSC brings together industry and academia, promoting collaboration and innovation. Being part of this organisation gives me access to conferences and events, interest groups and experts in other fields of the chemical sciences.

There are different categories of membership for the Royal Society of Chemistry and I’m a Chartered Chemist and Chartered Scientist. The route I took was to apply for a two-year Personal Development Programme, which includes working towards achieving 12 attributes. At the end of the two years, my report and portfolio of evidence were submitted and scrutinised by one of the boards at the Royal Society of Chemistry. Chartered status is not necessarily academic, it’s more about my working life – actually putting into practice the skills that I have learned and need to do my job. It means that in my working life I’ve reached a certain standard and provided evidence that I can work to that standard.

 A few thoughts on current dental education

Education is quite dear to my heart, so I’m very keen for dental practices to make this a priority for their staff. The dentisan decontamination courses we provide cover everything from the theory to the practice of decontamination. I find that teaching people to understand the why of what they’re doing is very beneficial to the learning process. In our courses we are trying to teach the delegates about what causes the problems, what contamination is, where it comes from, etc. We don’t want dental nurses to do things just because they’ve been told to do it that way; we want people to follow the guidance but also understand why. As a technical person, I always want to understand the ‘why’ for everything!

 I admit to being concerned about how little education dental nurses seem to get in some areas, including decontamination. The GDC recommends that dental nurses do five hours’ Core CPD in decontamination in every five-year cycle, but because I work in infection control and know how much detail there is in the subject, that doesn’t seem like much at all. Obviously, dentisan provides a variety of different courses, delivered in different ways, but, sadly, I don’t think there’s a lot of onus for dental nurses to take up education, even though it’s very valuable.

 As a scientist with a passion for education, I like to inspire others to continue to learn, too. If the work I do at dentisan with my team and the effectiveness of the decon courses we run can encourage dental professionals to become better educated in this area, then that makes my job even more worthwhile.

As a Research and Development Chemist at dentisan, I’d like to tell you a bit about what I do and what it’s like to be an integral part of a real scientific team developing infection prevention products for the dental profession.

 I was always really interested in science at school and had plans to do A levels in Chemistry, Biology and Maths, but when a vacancy arose at Quadralene, the parent company of dentisan, it seemed like too good an opportunity to miss, and I’ve never looked back.

The company supported me through further education, and ultimately, I got my BSc in Applied Chemistry through a day-release scheme.

 My job day today is very broad, and I love the variety. A big part of the job involves bench research for the development and testing of products – we continually test and re-test all dentisan’s products to verify their efficacy. I also spend a lot of time on product classification work, health and safety, and producing data sheets and label text that meets dental regulatory requirements. One area that really interests me is developing manufacturing methods that best ensure consistent quality control of all the products we produce at dentisan.

New products

I love getting involved in the initial stages of product development. Some products are initially commercial concepts, whilst others are driven by the technical department because we can see a use for a technology or can see that a product is being used in a wider healthcare environment and would make an easy and useful transition into dentistry.

 In my department, we get involved in the whole lifecycle of the product. We conceive the idea, develop the product, research and test it – the whole process from concept to commercial production is part of our remit. We also offer customer support once products are in the market as well. The variety of my job is what makes it so fascinating.

 We undertake a range of tests on products during development. For medical devices, the tests are rigorous. For CE-marked products, and particularly for the Class 2-marked products, we have to gather a lot of evidence to support all our claims. For instance, although labelling would be considered one of the last steps before a product is launched, it’s impossible to write the label text at the end of the process because if a claim is to be made on the label then we need to have evidence to support it. Depending on the claim, a simple test or series of tests spanning several months might be required, all of which needs to be considered before the project begins.

Infection control: Healthcare to Dental care

I sometimes wonder if there are any areas of infection control that are applied in healthcare environments that could be introduced to dentistry, but I’ve found that most of the areas have already been incorporated. Of course, hand hygiene was a big thing at one time, but that’s now been integrated into HTM 01-05.

Last year HTM 01-01 was revised, establishing a moving towards a residue limit for proteins that goes beyond swabbing. Now this has been established in a wider healthcare environment, I imagine that the next version of HTM 01-05 might start to align itself with this. Experience tells us that compliance that gets absorbed into acute medical care will eventually work its way into dental guidance.

 Whatever happens, dental professionals can be sure that we are keeping ahead of the game to supply products that work and fully comply with all the relevant regulations.

Enzymatic cleaners, commonly found in dental practices, are popular because of their ability to break down soils, stains, proteins and other debris with the use of natural enzymes. But have you ever wondered why they work so well? Here are some bitesize facts about enzymes and enzymatic cleaners you may not already know:

 Enzymes are responsible for many essential biochemical reactions in microorganisms, plants, animals, as well as human beings, and as such are crucial to life processes.

    Enzymes are biological catalysts. There are optimum temperatures, pH values and combinations with other chemical ingredients at which their activity is greatest.

   Enzymes help to speed up chemical reactions, giving them their valid reputation for being efficient cleaners.

The 1960s saw a new generation of enzymatic cleaners. When used in commercial laundry detergents, the addition of enzymes increased the capability of detergent to clean clothes. It wasn’t until much later that enzymatic detergent cleaners became available for dental facilities.

 There are thousands of enzymes involved in everything from the cellular processes in our bodies to the decomposition of our rubbish, but enzyme cleaners are made using a few specific enzymes that break down biological substances such as fats, oils, proteins and starches.

When used as part of the cleaning process, enzymes effectively reduce the need for more aggressive chemical ingredients in instrument reprocessing, reducing the environmental impact.

 Along with environmental considerations there is a growing demand for cleaning products that are pH neutral and alcohol free, as these are widely perceived as being less aggressive both to the materials and surfaces they are cleaning, as well as to the people that are using them.

Testing and validation of decontamination and sterilisation equipment is a vital aspect of every practice’s decontamination procedures and should be clearly laid down in their infection control policy. This equipment is at the forefront of the battle against protein residues and cross contamination so ensuring it is operating according to manufacturers’ specifications is an important first step in identifying possible shortfalls in performance.

Validation provides a guarantee that decontamination equipment is working to manufacturer’s specifications, showing it complies with CE-marking under the terms of the Medical Devices regulations and that all instruments cleaned by the equipment are reprocessed reliably and consistently.

 Testing, on the other hand refers to the routine tests that must be carried out on a daily, weekly or quarterly basis to ensure that equipment meets validated parameters. The results of these tests should be accurately recorded to provide the evidence of compliance that is required by the relevant regulatory bodies.

For example, a weekly protein residue test is a simple but crucial test designed to detect residual proteins left behind on dental instruments and therefore assess the effectiveness of the equipment in terms of protein removal. This test is carried out on instruments cleaned in both washer disinfectors and ultrasonic baths. Washer disinfectors and ultrasonic baths should also be routinely checked, according to manufacturers’ instructions using a simple efficacy, or soil test, which identifies any problems with cleaning processes such as clogged or broken spray arms or deficiencies in the detergent used.

 Dentisan has long been at the forefront of testing and validation requirements and offers a full range of tests that a practice needs to fully audit the performance of washer disinfectors, ultrasonic cleaners and autoclaves on a daily, weekly and quarterly basis. Distributed via Henry Schein Dental, dentisan’s complete range of testing and validation indicators, provides total peace of mind and evidence of compliance for every dental practice.

When Commercial Director at Dentisan, Bob Newsome, chose May 3rd for the first ever Dentisan golf day, he envisaged a calm gentle day, with blue skies, a smattering of white cloud and possibly a little sunshine. And although May 3rd 2017 looked promising at 7am, by the time the 30 or so golfers had gathered at Sherwood Forest Golf Club, the weather had deteriorated somewhat. So, although rain was avoided, a challenging wind made what is a tough course in the most benign conditions, a real test of skill.

Sherwood Forest Golf Club, nestles in the Nottinghamshire countryside, and in previous years has been used as a qualifying course for the British Open. The course proved a real test of skill and nerve for the gathering of mixed ability players. The Club Professional gave a few pointers before the teams made their way to the first tee and with prizes for leading team, leading individual, longest drive and nearest the pin, there was plenty to play for.

The day was extremely well supported and Bob had managed to create a balanced blend of guests from the profession and the industry, with Dentisan’s exclusive dental distributor, Henry Schein, joined by representatives from the Corporate Dental Community, Practice Associates, the industry’s leading publishers and Dentisan’s lawyers and accountants, for what was a highly enjoyable and competitive day.

After almost five hours out on the challenging course, the players gathered for dinner and the prize-giving. Andy May, Sales Executive at the BDJ won longest drive with an enormous hit on the 13th, nearest the pin on the par three 4th, went to Duncan James from Shakespeare Martineau solicitors and nearest the pin in two, on the par four 18th was awarded to Paul Holmes from BUPA.

The winning team comprised Donal Flynn from BUPA, Ken Finlayson (FMC) and Duncan James. Duncan completed an excellent day by becoming the overall winner of the Dentisan Golf Day, carding a very creditable score of 38 and he was presented with the trophy by Dentisan’s Financial Director, Helen Wigglesworth (pictured).

Commercial Director at Dentisan, Bob Newsome was delighted with the turn-out and the whole day. “I am extremely grateful that so many of our friends from within the dental community have taken time out of their busy schedules to support this event and I look forward to welcoming them all again next year, for what I hope will become an annual date in the calendar.”

In my role as Business Development Manager at Dentisan, along with my colleague Ann, we visit many dental practices across the UK to help them in the area of decontamination and cross-infection control. It’s not just a case of telling people about Dentisan’s products, rather our aim is to give all dental professionals a much wider education about CPD requirements and the compliance needed within dental surgeries.

Our commitment to education is at the heart of what we do. As part of our Dentilearn programme, we publish CPD articles on our website and offer a City & Guilds accredited one-day decontamination courses as well as contributing to evening decontamination seminars run in association with Henry Schein Dental.

We appreciate that the problem in any busy practice is finding the time to allow key members of staff to go out for essential training, so we’ve turned this problem on its head and introduced Dentilearn CPD In-Practice. In other words, we bring the training to you.

The advantage is that we can come into your practice whenever it’s convenient - whether that’s lunchtime, after-hours or on a specific date. No one needs to take time out of the practice. You get to save on travel costs and the team remains in the comfort of their own surroundings.

Dentilearn In-Practice offers a choice of one- or two-hour CPD sessions covering a variety of topics which can be selected in advance to provide the specific training that best meets the needs of the individual team. The one-hour lunch sessions are very popular as they fit in well for everyone concerned. This also applies to the two-hour sessions for after-hours training.

There’s no maximum number of participants, so these sessions offer real value for money. I recently held a two-hour session for a team of ninety, then went on to do a one-hour session of just six. It simply depends on the number of staff in a practice or group of practices. The sessions are not product driven in any way; they are purely about staff gaining verifiable CPD and ensuring everything relates back to local guidelines, whether that’s in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

My aim is not just to visit a practice, provide the training and leave. I can carry out free water quality tests of dental unit water lines and offer advice should remedial action be required. I also walk through the practice and look at the decontamination and cross-infection protocols and answer any questions the team may have. It’s all part of the service. 

Read more at dentisan.co.uk/education/inpracticetraining.

Just as HTM 01-05 underpins decontamination within the dental environment, HTM 01-01 provides best practice guidance on the entire medical decontamination cycle, including reusable surgical instruments and medical devices used in acute care.

Although HTM 01-01 does not strictly apply to dentistry, new guidance within it regarding protein detection methods used on surgical instruments will undoubtedly work their way into the dentistry sphere, via an updated version of HTM 01-05, within the next few years.

Protein residue testing in dentistry is a routine part of the dental decontamination process. It’s also well known that if protein residues found on used dental instruments are allowed to dry onto the instrument surface for any length of time can severely hamper its removal and thereby compromise the effectiveness of subsequent sterilisation processes.

It takes less than 60 minutes in a warm practice environment for protein to start to harden and coagulate, making it impossible to totally remove. Therefore, keeping dental instruments moist following use and before cleaning, greatly improves the effectiveness of the cleaning process. If instruments are simply pre-treated within 30 minutes of being used and kept moist by using a non-hazardous, water-based formulation, this would have a measurable effect on the residual protein detected without the need to change anything else in the reprocessing procedure.

There is nothing to stop the dental profession getting ahead of the game by using instrument wetting agents and suspension foams throughout the working day, not only when instruments are unable to be cleaned immediately after use. This move towards best practice means that once a protein measurement requirement is introduced, which it inevitably will, practices will be better placed to integrate such changes, remain compliant and achieve the desired results.

Did you know? According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, healthcare-acquired infections affect over 4 million patients a year across Europe and cost around €7 billion in additional healthcare and direct financial losses[1]. That is an eye-opening statistic, but what’s interesting is that scientists and governments point to hand hygiene as one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of preventing the spread of such infections.

With seasonal colds and flu viruses doing the rounds as we stick together indoors during cold winter months, dental practices can provide an ideal environment for infections to be unwittingly spread. As we constantly touch surfaces and instruments, unpleasant bacteria and viruses (which, by the way, can be very adept at surviving outside of the body for long periods) can thrive on unclean hands, reception desks, door handles and the like, posing a potential infection risk to the next person who touches them.

Hand hygiene is one of the simplest but most important measures for reducing the risk of infection transmission during patient care. Effective hand hygiene protects both patients and members of the dental team and is an essential part of a practice’s infection control policy. So what can we do to greatly reduce the risk of passing on infections and ensure practices are compliant with current regulations and guidelines regarding hand hygiene? Well a good place to start is to read our latest online article Preventing the spread of infection offering advice and guidance on hand hygiene to everyone on the dental team. Plus, as an added bonus reading the article can earn dental professionals one hour of verifiable CPD in the area of infection control, issued in the form of a downloadable pdf, which can be used as evidence of CPD hours.

 Don’t let infections spread. Read the CPD article now CLICK HERE

Infection control specialists Dentisan are delighted to introduce a new non alcohol post wash skin disinfectant foam to their product portfolio. New DentiSure is an important addition to Dentisan’s already comprehensive range of hand care products and dispensing solutions, providing a non alcohol alternative for those who prefer this option.

Hand hygiene is one of the most important measures in reducing the risk of infection transmission and all dental practices have a duty of care to ensure they are managed in accordance with current regulations and guidelines regarding hand hygiene. DentiSure makes an important contribution to this work, being fully compliant with HTM 01-05 and having been microbiologically tested to British Standard BS EN 1500.

DentiSure is supplied in a 1 litre ready-to-use format and should be applied to the hands after washing and drying, and rubbed in until fully dispersed. It can also be used on clean skin between washes to minimize pathogen transmission. This complete coverage of the exposed skin provides additional protection from pathogens for those working within dental practices.

DentiSure is available in a ready to use 1 litre foam pump dispenser, and can be ordered exclusively from Henry Schein Dental on 0800 023 2558 and Kent Express on 01634 878787.

Twitter: @dentisanltd

Christmas for many of us is a time of fun, food and celebration with family and friends, but for the less fortunate, both here and abroad, it can be a cold, hungry and desperately lonely time.

Dentisan, along with their parent company Quadralene, are striving to make a difference to those in need this Christmas. A long-time supporter of the homeless charity Crisis at Christmas, a pallet of cleaning and disinfection products (pictured) has already been donated to be used in some of the temporary centres across the UK which provide a warm and safe place to stay for those without shelter over the Christmas period.

Dentisan is also keen to support local charity Serve the City – Derby, which mobilises volunteers to give practical help and support to those in need across the city. Dentisan is donating 30 Christmas food boxes to the charity (1 for each member of staff) and several employees will spend 22nd December helping with the packing and delivery of the boxes to families and individuals on low incomes who would otherwise struggle to afford a Christmas meal.

Finally, as part of their ongoing association with the Networks charity, Dentisan are also in the process of packing and shipping pallets of shoeboxes, loaded with Christmas gifts, to make a better Christmas for children in need in Romania. Dentisan’s Commercial Director Bob Newsome commented: “We are proud to support international, UK and locally-based charities and would like to thank our team for their hard work and generosity in helping make a real difference for those in need this Christmas.”

dentisan.co.uk Twitter: @DentisanLtd Facebook: Dentisan Ltd

crisis.org.uk servethecityderby.org.uk

Andy Corley (pictured below), Managing Director of infection control specialists Dentisan, is delighted to have taken part in the CBI’s MSB (Medium Sized Business) Summit 2016, entitled ‘Meeting the Productivity Challenge’. 

The prestigious event, held in July in Central London, saw over 350 business leaders come together to explore the challenges faced by medium-sized businesses in raising productivity and highlighted a range of practical steps that both business and government can take to increase output and unlock new growth.

With a select audience of CEOs and mid-market business leaders the Summit included keynote and panel sessions and Andy was invited to be a central part of one of the day’s key case studies ‘Staying Innovative in a growing business’.

Dentisan has a proud legacy of developing new and exciting technologies and innovations, but the UK as a whole underperforms when investing in Research & Development. During his presentation, Andy highlighted the steps Dentisan has taken to become an innovator, and explained in detail the central role that R&D has played in its success. 

Speaking after the Summit Andy comment, “It was a great honour to be part of such a key event and meet so many like-minded business leaders. R&D has played a crucial role in Dentisan’s success and we are proud to continue to make a significant investment in our highly skilled and hard-working team to develop new and exciting technologies and innovations that drive our business forward.” 

For more information visit www.dentisan.co.uk 

Twitter: @dentisanltd 

Dentisan [Quadralene] is delighted to announce that Managing Director Andy Corley, has been invited to take part in the CBI’s MSB (Medium Sized Business) Summit 2016, entitled ‘Meeting the Productivity Challenge’.

This prestigious event, being held on 7 July in Central London, will explore the challenges that medium-sized businesses face in raising productivity and highlight some of the practical steps that such businesses can take to increase output and unlock new growth.

Designed for CEOs and senior leaders of MSBs, the Summit will include keynote and panel sessions and Andy will participate in one of the key case studies ‘Staying innovative in a growing business’.

Whilst companies such as Dentisan [Quadralene] have a proud legacy of developing new and exciting technologies and innovations, the UK as a whole underperforms when investing in Research & Development. Addressing this issue is essential for international competitiveness and plays a crucial role in making the UK a place in which to invest and grow a business. During the session Andy will highlight the steps Dentisan [Quadralene] has taken to become an innovator within its market, and explain the important role that R&D has played in its success.

Andy commented, “I am delighted to be taking part in such an important event. Innovation is central to our business ethos, and we could not succeed without significant investment in R&D. It has been a lynchpin of our business, and concentrating on innovation has helped us to both attract new employees and release the latent potential within our existing team. I am very much looking forward to sharing our experiences with other like-minded business leaders.”

For more information, explore the Dentisan website and MSB Summit 2016 - CBI

Jonty Bayliss, Business Development Manager at infection control specialists Dentisan, is gearing himself up to take part in IRONMAN 70.3 UK 2016.

This spectacular triathlon is being held at Wimbleball Lake in Exmoor National Park on 26th June, one of the most picturesque areas of England on what’s said to be one of the most challenging IRONMAN courses in the world.

There won’t be much time for Jonty to look at the scenery. First the athletes have to swim a 1.2-mile lap of the lake, then go straight on to cycle 56 miles of the infamous bike course through hilly terrain in the heart of Exmoor National park. Finally, there is the small matter of running a half marathon (13.1 miles), over a three-loop course on mixed terrain including tarmac, hard pack trail and grass - all without a break.

Jonty is taking on the IRONMAN challenge to raise money for Bridge2Aid - a dental charity that Dentisan has supported for many years. Bridge2Aid makes possible the continued training of rural-based health workers who provide safe access to dental pain relief for disadvantaged people in the Mwanza region of Tanzania, who would otherwise face a lifetime in pain with no hope of treatment.

Jonty said: “I’m really looking forward to this challenge and my training is very intense. I am proud to support the incredible work that Bridge2Aid are doing in East Africa. My target is to raise £1000 and I would be delighted if anyone out there would be willing to sponsor me via my JustGiving page.” www.justgiving.com/jonty-bayliss

For more information contact Dentisan on 01332 268526

www.dentisan.co.uk

www.bridge2aid.org

Infection control specialists Dentisan are delighted to introduce Dentifloor, an important new addition to their comprehensive range of decontamination products for dental surgeries.

Dentifloor is a new, wide spectrum microbiocide cleaner and disinfectant concentrate ideal for the hard floors typically found in dental surgeries. By simply diluting the concentrate with clean water to give a 20ml per litre solution, Dentifloor quickly cuts through and removes dirt and contaminants from the floor surface, leaving it clean and disinfected in a single operation.

Dentifloor has a non-alcohol formulation with proven efficacy against bacteria, fungi and enveloped viruses and is an important part of a practice’s HTM 01-05 compliance procedures.

www.dentisan.co.uk

Twitter: @DentisanLtd

Facebook: Dentisan Ltd

Leaders in dental infection control Dentisan, is committed to educating the whole dental team in the area of infection prevention. Now, in addition to online CPD and their popular one-day City & Guilds accredited course, Dentisan is delighted to introduce Dentilearn CPD In-Practice, enabling dentists and their teams to access verifiable CPD training in dental decontamination from the comfort and convenience of their own practice.

 ·       Training delivered by Dentisan’s knowledgeable experts

·       Convenient and cost-effective education for the whole dental team

·       Choice of 1 or 2-hour in-practice sessions including practical demonstrations

·       Awards verifiable CPD to each individual retrospectively

·       One price regardless of number of participants

 Topics within the In-practice sessions can be selected in advance to ensure you are provided with the specific training that best meet the needs of you and your team.

These include:

·       Principles of infection control

·       Water quality

·       Instrument decontamination and sterilisation

·       Personal protective equipment

·       Hand hygiene

Arranging a Dentilearn CPD In-Practice session is easy. Simply select either a 1 or 2-hour session to suit your practice needs, then phone or email your request to the expert in your area, who will contact you direct to arrange a convenient date.

To book, practices in Scotland and Northern England should contact Jonty Bayliss 07741 314670 [email protected] for practices in Southern England please contact Anne Harris 07741 312515 [email protected]

www.dentisan.co.uk

Twitter: @DentisanLtd