DENTAL OFFICE CLEANING – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The dental office administrator is responsible for keeping the practice running smoothly and ensuring that the facility is clean and sanitary – no easy task in a healthcare environment. Patient safety is a primary concern, especially amid an ongoing pandemic. Beyond patient safety, there are concerns for staff and a clean and inviting environment. Today’s post focuses on key areas that need to be addressed in order to ensure dental office cleaning protocols promote patient and staff safety as well as great first impressions.
Dental Industry Standards:
Adhering to industry standards is essential to competing in the dental care market and to ensure the health and safety of patients and staff. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have clearly defined industry standards and maintenance procedures for dental offices. Following their recommendations can help reduce the risk of health-related infections and cross-contamination.
High Touch Surfaces:
Disinfecting high-touch surfaces is essential to mitigating the transmission of germs and bacteria. It is important to note that disinfecting is a two-step process that involves both cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning addresses the removal of dirt and debris from surfaces while disinfecting refers to the removal or inactivation of germs and bacteria.
Cleaning should result in a visibly clean surface. Disinfecting should be performed with an EPA registered disinfectant applied with applicable dwell times and procedures in mind. Different disinfectants require different dwell times to be effective. Failure to follow the manufacturer’s dwell time recommendations is a failure to disinfect.
Dental Office Restrooms:
Restroom cleanliness is a high priority concern for consumers. The cleanliness of your restrooms leaves a lasting impression on your patients. Ensuring that your restrooms leave a positive impression is key to your success. This is particularly true in a healthcare setting. Patients are judging your practice on the cleanliness of your dental office and restrooms are a key indicator of your dedication to cleanliness.
Leaving restroom cleaning to your in-house staff may seem like a cost-saving measure but you would be surprised how unclean they leave these spaces. Everyone likes a clean restroom but nobody wants to clean them. Hiring a dental office cleaning company ensures that your restrooms leave a positive impression on your staff and patients.
Dental Office Reception Areas:
Your reception area is your dental practice’s first impression. Everything from the entryway to the reception desk is being evaluated by every patient that walks through the door. You have to make them feel comfortable and safe.
Mind you, it is not just your patients that are impacted by a dirty reception area. It is you, your staff, your vendors, and your colleagues. Don’t let a poorly maintained reception area ruin your business.
Reputation:
As a dental office, your reputation is one of your most valuable assets. A reputation for cleanliness can not be bought. It must be earned. This means consistently clean facilities, exceptional patient care, and incredible services.
Complete Care Maintenance can not help you with patient care but we can help with customer service by providing a thoroughly clean facility. And we can most certainly help with cleanliness by providing exceptional dental office cleaning services throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
