Getting Back to Business….Safely!

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Demonstrate to Your Patients How Your
Practice is Mitigating the Spread of COVID-19

Contamination has always been a major concern for dental patients, dentists, and team members. The current COVID-19 pandemic has heightened awareness to an all-time high, requiring dentists and their teams to do everything in their power to protect patients and caregivers.

According to the CDC, “SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is thought to be spread primarily through respiratory droplets.”¹ Both close contact and a prevalence of respiratory droplets are unavoidable by-products of dentistry. Studies show that viruses like COVID-19 likely have multiple infection routes, including through/from the mouth.²  This is why the use of PPE products like masks have become essential tools in virus containment efforts. The CDC also recommends other preventive practices to reduce blood exposures, particularly percutaneous exposures, including:

1) careful handling of sharp instruments,
2) use of rubber dams to minimize blood spattering,
3) handwashing, and
4) use of protective barriers.³

Dental equipment, including hand-held devices such as intra-oral cameras, curing lights and x-ray sensors can also be primary sources of pathogen transmission. It is critical to have an easy, efficient, and effective protocol that properly mitigates the threat of cross contamination, and the use of single-use protective barriers is an effective way to do just that.

The CDC claims, “Barrier protection of surfaces and equipment can prevent contamination of clinical contact surfaces, but is particularly effective for those that are difficult to clean. Barriers include clear plastic wrap, bags, sheets, tubing, and plastic-backed paper or other materials impervious to moisture.”⁴

As patients filter back into dental practices post-COVID-19, their awareness of infection protocols and comfort level may well be elevated. They will be more concerned about their safety and about what your dental office is providing in terms of infection control. Now more than ever, dental practices must be especially vigilant with their infection control protocols while assuring their patients and staff are being protected. Physical demonstration of the enhanced levels of protection are essential in order to ease patients’ concerns.

Patient-care items (dental instruments, devices, and equipment) are categorized as critical, semi-critical, or non-critical, depending on the potential risk for infection associated with their intended use. Semi-critical dental equipment, like intra-oral cameras, curing lights, and x-ray sensors, may come into contact with mucous membranes or non-intact skin.

While semi critical dental equipment, like intra-oral cameras, curing lights and x-ray sensors, will not penetrate soft issue, encounter bone, or enter into/come in contact with the blood stream, they may come into contact with mucous membranes or other non-intact skin. For this equipment, the CDC recommends, “Semi-critical items that cannot be reprocessed by heat sterilization or high-level disinfection should, at a minimum, be barrier protected by using an FDA cleared barrier to reduce gross contamination during use.”⁵  The CDC also recommends surface barriers be changed after each patient.⁶

One easy way to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission is to use a proven and effective solution like TIDIShield^® custom-fit barriers. These sheaths are designed with a unique, individually wrapped, easy-peel outer wrapping that protects the inner sleeve from contamination and allows the clinician to apply the sheath to the device without actually touching the sheath. The sheath provides maximum protection against spreading bacteria by covering the equipment and reducing the chance for contamination. (Watch the short video below.)

As the video below demonstrates, dentists and other clinical staff can quickly and easily show patients the easy-peel outer wrapping that protects the inner sleeve (that will be going inside their mouth). This simple process greatly reduces contamination, and shows your practices’ commitment to patient safety and protection. It proves to the patient that your dental group has taken the extra steps to protect them, building trust and enhancing the patient experience.

Unlike other sheaths which are loose fitting, bulky, and uncomfortable (sometimes with sharp plastic edges), TIDIShield^® custom-fit barriers are designed specifically for the device that they cover to ensure a precise fit with patient comfort in mind. Additionally, TIDIShield^® custom-fit barriers provide the necessary protection without interfering with the performance of your equipment.

For Curing Lights: TIDIShield^® Curing Light Barrier with SureCure Window™

• Individually wrapped with an easy peel outer wrapping which helps protect the inner sleeve from contamination and minimizes the potential for bacteria build-up on curing light surfaces.
• Custom fit with soft, rounded edges for patient comfort.
• Proven to produce cured restorations equal to those where no barrier is used.
• Achieves quality cures while reducing the risk of contamination.

For Intra Oral Cameras: TIDIShield^® Intra-Oral Camera Barrier with SureClear Window™

• Created based on equipment dimensions ensuring the best fit for patient comfort
• Allows insertion of the camera into the sheath without transferring bacteria to the patient’s mouth.
• Individually wrapped easy-peel outer wrapping that helps protect inner sheaths from contamination.
• Picture clarity is intact due to the custom fit over the camera lens.
• Reduces distortion that a loose-fitting film provides and improve image quality.
• Reduces the risk of saliva exposure to equipment.

For X-Ray Sensors:  TIDIShield^® X-Ray Sensor Sheaths

• Created based on equipment dimensions to ensure a precise fit – designed with patient comfort in mind.
• The sheath maintains the sensor’s ability to produce quality X-ray images and helps protect equipment from contamination.
• Rounded edges for greater patient comfort.
• Individually wrapped, easy-peel wrapping helps protect inner sleeves from contamination.
• Digital X-Ray Sensor Sheaths reduces the need to use harmful disinfections on X-ray sensors and are not made with natural rubber latex.

TIDI Products has a history of providing forward-looking solutions to dental professionals. TIDI is always looking for ways to help reduce the risk of contamination and deliver the highest-quality patient care. Now more than ever, dental providers turn to TIDI Products for a supply of user-friendly, compliance-enhancing, and risk-reducing solutions.

The TIDI^® Products portfolio of brands also includes:

• TIDIShield^® Assemble ‘n Go™ Eye Shields and Face Shields
• TIDI Tray Covers, Dental Bibs & Headrest Covers
• TIDIShield^® Nitrile Specialty Gloves and glove dispensers
• TIDI Standard Fit Surface Barriers
• CSR/Sterilization Wrap
• Cotton rolls, non-woven & cotton-filled sponges
• Cups & dispensers
• Salvia ejectors

 

Visit Tidi’s website to learn more about their personal
protection equipment and patient safety products

1. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a Dental Setting” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Page last reviewed: April 8, 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/dental-settings.html

2. LABline, “Studies show COVID-19 virus likely has multiple infection routes.” Medical Laboratory Observer (MLO), Feb 21st, 2020,
www.mlo-online.com/disease/infectious-disease/article/21126536/studies-show-covid19-virus-likely-has-multiple-infection-routes

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings — 2003. MMWR 2003;52(No. RR-17):[page 4]

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings — 2003. MMWR 2003;52(No. RR-17):[page 26]

5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings — 2003. MMWR 2003;52(No. RR-17):[page 20]

6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings — 2003. MMWR 2003;52(No. RR-17):[page 30]

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