title: Effectiveness of dental office instrument sterilization procedures.
abstract: To evaluate instrument sterilization procedures in Minnesota, biological indicators were used to monitor 406 sterilizers in 381 dental offices. Findings suggest a general improvement in instrument performance over that of a decade ago, but sterilization failure rates are still too high. Sterilizer operator errors are a major cause of sterilization failures. BIs are useful in monitoring sterilization performance only when sterilization procedures are performed consistently and competently by well-trained staff using adequately maintained equipment.
authors.affiliation: Dental Health Section, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis 55440.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hastreiter
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Molinari
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Falken
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Roesch
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gleason
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Merchant
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D003762:Dental Instruments; D003770:Dental Offices; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D001411:Geobacillus stearothermophilus; D006801:Humans; D008910:Minnesota; D013171:Spores, Bacterial; D013242:Sterilization / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States