North Texas Dentistry Volume 7 Issue 2 NTD 2017 ISSUE 2 DE | Page 25

compliance Testing Your Autoclave Isn’t Optional HAVE YOU COMPLETED SPORE TESTING RECENTLY? Untested autoclaves can lead to sick patients. They also leave a practice owner open to stiff fines, even suspension of his or her license. Texas State Board Rule 108.24 states that “sterilization equipment and its adequacy shall be tested and veri- fied in accord with the American Dental Association recommendations.” Since Texas regulations recognize ADA recommendations as State guidelines, testing isn’t an optional exercise. But we’ve inspected several practices that were not adhering to ADA guide- lines. Here are two tips for spore testing compliance: 1 Test weekly — without fail. Both ADA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend autoclave spore testing at weekly intervals. Staying in compliance with spore testing requirements can especially be a challenge if your staff skips a week due to vaca- tions or schedule changes. If the staff member in charge of spore testing drops the ball, how can you avoid long gaps that can make your office non-compliant? n Set a reminder alert in your office’s computer calendar. n Place a reminder next to the sterilizer to run a weekly spore test. n Give testing responsibility to two employees, instead of one. 2 Keep records for three years. Has your office completed spore tests, but neglected to send the specimens in to be examined? Or maybe your office doesn’t keep records of the test results. Smart Training strongly recommends that records be kept for a minimum of three years; a recommendation based on the high- est standards and absence of clear guidance from Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. Several testing companies supply biological indicators that are returned to the company’s lab to determine if a practice’s autoclave is functioning properly. (TDA Perks partner OSHA Review is one.) by Lee Slaton There are also several companies that provide testing kits that allow practices to test and see results onsite in their own offices. If administered in a timely and proper way, either spore testing method ensures compliance with Texas regulations. Lee Slaton is Vice-President of Healthcare with Smart Training, the TDA’s OSHA and HIPAA Com- pliance partner. Smart Training, a Texas-based com- pany, has been providing OSHA, HIPAA, and Training solutions for over 25 years. They offer the industry’s only written guarantee against OSHA fines, which includes OSHA representation. Slaton’s team of Compliance Advisors has inspected hundreds of Texas dental practices, with the mission of helping practices correct deficien- cies before they turn into fines totaling thousands of dollars. DENTAL ADVISOR ALLIANCE A Resource Group on the Business of Dentistry Let one or more of our professionals share their knowledge at your next meeting! AREAS OF EXPERTISE Banking Accounting & Wealth Management Marketing Employment / Staffing Real Estate Construction And Design Legal Issues Management Insurance OSHA, HIPAA & Radiation Compliance Patient Financing Transitions Technology & Communications [email protected] www.northtexasdentistry.com | NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY 25