Some policy and procedures templates referred to in Managing Decontamination in Dental Practice (MDDP) section have been updated to align with the SHTM 01-05 guidance. The updated templates and a summary of the changes within each template have been listed in the table on the How to use MDDP page.
Scottish Health Technical Memorandum (SHTM) 01-05 Management, equipment, and process of the decontamination of dental instruments in a Local Decontamination Unit (LDU) in NHSScotland is national, best practice guidance published by Health Facilities Scotland in April 2024.
Key messages and changes to SHTM 01-05
· Use of a washer disinfector is a requirement for compliant reprocessing of dental instruments in an LDU. An ultrasonic cleaner, while useful as an additional cleaning aid, may only be used as a back-up in the event of washer disinfector failure
· For washer disinfectors, potable water that meets manufacturer’s requirements is adequate (otherwise filtration is required). Sterile water for irrigation is preferred for use in sterilizers
· Dental handpiece decontamination and lubrication should follow manufacturer’s instructions
· Equipment testing schedules should follow Manufacturer’s Instructions, or if unavailable, the schedules recommended in Part C
· Sterilizer Automatic Control Tests are required to be carried out weekly (no longer daily)
· Equipment records are to be retained for the lifetime of the equipment plus 25 years.
· Policies and procedures should be reviewed and updated periodically with revisions noted
· New titles of personal involved in decontamination are used