Building the Foundation: The Bedrock of Dental Safety
Sponsored by DHSS Office of Dental Health
Friday, February 6, 2026 @ NOON
There were two questions during the webinar that we ran out of time to answer. Here are the answers to those questions:
1. There may be some circumstances in which it's not safe to let patients keep extracted teeth. If the teeth have amalgam in them, you would want to make sure they are disposed of in the biohazardous amalgam recycling. Otherwise, it's okay to let the patients keep their teeth if they want to. If you do let patients keep the teeth, they should be packaged to prevent the spread of contamination while the patient has them in the office.
There may also be a facility policy that prevents the patients from keeping the teeth; if this is the case, they should be disposed of in biohazardous waste/ amalgam recycling as needed.
2. The CDC recommends that all handpieces, motors, and couplers that can be removed from the air/water tubing be heat sterilized between each patient. Basically, if it can be taken off the hose, it should be heat sterilized between each patient use. The only exception to this would be some of the cordless electric handpieces that are not able to be heat sterilized.
You'll want to ensure you're following the manufacturer's instructions for use when reprocessing handpieces to ensure you're using the correct sterilization cycle. Often times handpieces require a shorter cycle or lower temperature to prevent damage to the handpiece.
Here is the link to the CDC recommendations for sterilization for dental handpieces: https://www.cdc.gov/dental-infection-control/hcp/dental-ipc-faqs/dental-handpieces.html
Presented by: Sarah Stream, MPH, CDIPC, CDA, FADAA, EFDA, RDA
Course Description: A truly safe dental practice is defined not by its policy binder, but by its deeply rooted culture of safety. This course moves beyond basic compliance to provide a strategic framework for building a proactive, accountable, and sustainable infection prevention and control (IPC) program. Participants will explore the core components of a safety culture, learning how to integrate evidence-based strategies, regulatory standards, and continuous monitoring into the very fabric of their clinic.
We will focus on practical leadership techniques to foster team-wide accountability, empower open communication about near-misses, and implement effective corrective actions. The session is designed to equip dental professionals with the tools and resources needed to not just create an IPC program, but to successfully engage their entire team in its implementation and long-term success. 1.5 Dental Continuing Education Units (CEU) available.
Learning Objectives:
- Explore industry best practice, evidence-based strategies, regulatory compliance, and ongoing monitoring for creating a culture of safety within your dental clinic.
- Develop strategies to foster a culture of safety while promoting team accountability, including techniques for promoting open dialogue, reporting near misses, and implementing corrective action.
- Discuss strategies to engage staff through creating, implementing, and maintaining an effective infection control program.
- Identify tools and resources available to create and support a comprehensive infection control program.
Sarah Stream, MPH, CDIPC, CDA, FADAA, EFDA, RDA
Infection Preventionist: Dental & Educational Specialist
Sarah Stream began her journey in 2007 as a dental assistant, where her dedication and passion quickly propelled her forward. Over the years, she earned her CDA and further advanced her expertise, becoming a dynamic educator committed to public health and addressing the evolving needs of the dental community. With a specialization in dental infection control, she achieved her CDIPC certification and earned the prestigious 2024 Emerging Infection Control Leader Award from the Association for Dental Safety.
Sarah is involved in shaping industry standards, serving as an active member of several ADA Standards Committees focused on sterilization safety, dental unit waterlines, and dental instruments. Recently, she took on an exciting new role as Education Product Manager at the DANB and DALE Foundation, where she continues to make a lasting impact through innovative educational initiatives.
Thank you Office of Dental Health for sponsoring this session!
