Any item or piece of equipment used in the mouth has the potential to transmit infection. There is a statutory duty on dentists under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 [1] to render instruments and equipment safe before repair.
Decontaminate items, including handpieces, using the practice’s usual method before sending them for servicing or repair.
For equipment that cannot be sterilized, clean and disinfect according to manufacturers’ instructions before sending the items for repair.
When sending an item for repair, inform the recipient about how it has been decontaminated (e.g. by attaching a certificate to the package, sending a blanket statement).