Instrument Composition, Care and Maintenance

Instrument Composition, Care and Maintenance is organized by The American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA).

Accreditation:
CE Credits: 2

Course Description:
Fine clothing, jewelry, or dental instruments all require special care to maintain the quality of the product and promote longer life. Although most dental instruments are stainless steel and have outstanding built-in corrosion resistance factors, many new instruments being made will require different handling and cleaning to ensure longevity and resistance to stain and corrosion. This course covers the critical component of cleaning instruments effectively and efficiently, with special attention to the importance of instrument composition in determining the most effective method for cleaning to promote instrument longevity, minimizing corrosion or rust, and staining and scratching. A dental assistant must be knowledgeable regarding what solutions should be used or avoided to preserve instrument integrity and what instruments should never be cleaned together, as well as determining when an instrument can or should be repaired or replaced.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the dental professional should be able to:
•Identify characteristics that help determine the composition of dental instruments;
• Identify and differentiate between different types of instrument damage;
• Describe the effects of electrolysis reactions between dissimilar metal of dental instruments;
• Define batch/bind cleaning and the results that can occur when used;
• Identify at least three reasons for the operator to wear PPE while cleaning instruments;
• Describe the general procedures for cleaning implant instruments;
• Identify the advantages of ultrasonic or instrument washer vs. hand scrubbing;
• Identify three advantages of using instrument cassettes;
• Describe how hinged instruments should be cleaned;
• Identify solutions that should be used for ultrasonic cleaning;
• State what cleaning utensils should be used for hand scrubbing instruments if needed;
• Describe the effects of steam sterilization on carbon steel instruments;
• Describe anti?corrosion measures a dental assistant can employ;
• Describe when a dental instrument should be replaced.

Original Release Date: 2017; Review Date: 2017; Expiration Date: 2020

Additional details will be posted as soon as information is available.