Dental offices put in a lot of effort every day to provide their patients with high-quality preventive care as well as treatment, and as part of that effort, they make sure to take the necessary precautions to keep their working environments safe and healthy.

Dental teams may have to exert a significant amount of work to manage numerous regulated waste streams while also being current on the regulations set out by regulatory agencies. The following recommendations for best dental waste management are provided to assist dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and other dental office staff members in their efforts to enhance patient safety and the safety of their whole team.

First and foremost, prioritise safety.

To provide great oral health care, patient and worker safety must always come first.

Dentists and their employees have a responsibility to exercise extreme caution while carrying out waste disposal procedures to prevent the spread of infectious agents such as the common cold and influenza, bacteria, environmental pollutants, and bloodborne infections.

The safe and responsible disposal of dental sharps

When it comes to sharps safety, dental offices should have policies and procedures in place, including safety measures for utilising sharps, such as dental needles, during clean-up and disposal. Needlestick injuries, which may expose dental healthcare staff to bloodborne infections, can be reduced by following proper handling practices and using waste receptacles that have been specifically developed for the purpose. Containers for sharps should be able to withstand punctures, should not leak, should be constructed to prevent them from being overfilled, and should be placed in areas where sharps are created.

Disposal in an appropriate manner of medical waste that is controlled

It is the responsibility of the dental staff to oversee the proper disposal of various types of regulated medical waste, such as blood-saturated gauzes and drapes used during procedures. To ensure that these potentially infectious objects are disposed of properly, biohazardous waste bags that are either colour-coded or labelled should be utilised.

Safe and responsible disposal of toxic wastes

There is a possibility that some chemicals used in dentistry clinics might be classified as hazardous waste. Performing what is termed a waste characterization is something that all generators are required to do by CQC. These evaluations establish whether or not the waste that a generator produces is hazardous waste.

Some medications, amalgam, fixer, developer, disinfectants, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and disinfectants are examples of common products found in dental clinics that have the potential to constitute a hazardous waste. Even if it is established that the chemical waste in question does not constitute a risk to humans or the environment, it is nevertheless against the law to dispose of it in a regulated medical waste container, such as a red bag or a container designed for sharps.

Additionally, the CQC has requirements that apply to dental institutions that insert or remove dental amalgam and that release effluent to municipal sewage systems. These laws may be found here. It is required that these facilities remove dental amalgam using amalgam separators, which are pieces of equipment that can remove particles of amalgam from wastewater. Additionally, it is required that these amalgam separators be installed, maintained, monitored, and disposed of appropriately.

Options for Creating a Workplace That Is Both Safe And Compliant

To assist dental offices in maintaining a compliant and safe working environment, Trikon Clinical Waste provides solutions for the disposal and management of medical waste, in addition to providing online compliance training. These solutions include the following:

Safe Needle Disposal

TCW dental waste containers, whether disposable or reusable, are developed with safety in mind to assist with the compliant disposal of sharps and to limit the number of needlestick accidents.

Disposal Containers and Services Regarding Sharps

There are choices for exchanging sharps containers that include reusable, mail-back, and disposable containers, in addition to full service and self-service exchanges and mail-back services.

Disposal of Biohazardous Medical Waste

There are a variety of methods available for the compliant collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of regulated waste. 

Options for the Management of Pharmaceutical Waste

There are options available for the safe and compliant disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous drug waste, including medicine or ointments that have been out of date, partly used, or contaminated, as well as waste from anaesthetic gas.

Options for Handling Hazardous Waste

Complete management of hazardous waste, which includes wastes that need to be attended to in the appropriate manner, such as flammable liquids, xylene, formalin, aerosols, and universal waste.

CQC (Care Quality Commission)

It is required by law for all dental offices in England to ensure that the care and treatment they give are up to the standards set out by the national government regarding both quality and safety. The Care Quality Commission, sometimes known as CQC, is an independent organisation that regulates the provision of health and adult social care services in England. 

They ensure that individuals get the care that is safe, effective, compassionate, and of high quality from health and social care services, and they stimulate the continued growth and development of such services. They monitor, inspect, and regulate the services to ensure that we fulfil essential quality and safety requirements, and then they publish what they discover, including performance ratings, to assist individuals in selecting the appropriate level of care for themselves or their loved ones. As a practice, we adhere to the following five core requirements, which are determined by CQC compliance:

• At each and every step, you can anticipate being appreciated, included, and informed about what’s going on.
• You may anticipate receiving care, treatment, and support that is tailored to your needs.
• You should not fear for your safety.
• You should anticipate receiving care from employees who are equipped with the knowledge and abilities necessary to do their duties effectively.
• You should anticipate that the quality of the services provided by your dental office will be checked regularly.

For end-to-end dental waste disposal services, get in touch with Trikon Clinical Waste today.