Simplifying Your Dental Unit Waterline Program
Q&A With Marie T. Fluent, DDS
March 1, 2025
Volume 21
,
Issue 2
,
March 2025
Marie T. Fluent, DDS, has worked in dentistry for more than 35 years, beginning as a dental assistant and office manager and ultimately operating her own private practice. While practicing, she developed a passion and deep commitment to improving patient safety and infection control, and now, she lectures, writes, and consults extensively on infection control in dental practice settings, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance, eye safety, antibiotic stewardship, and more. Fluent recently spoke with Inside Dentistry in an interview about dental unit waterline safety where she offered some recommendations for waterline compliance programs.
Inside Dentistry (ID): How can practices simplify their dental unit waterline programs?
Marie T. Fluent, DDS (MTF): Waterline programs should run "fluently," with ease and accuracy-just like speaking fluently. They should be based on scientific evidence and regulatory compliance requirements, yet be simple, efficient, and cost-effective. Waterline compliance programs should include the following:
· Completing administrative preparations. This involves the development of a written program that includes the designation of a team leader, education and training for the team so that they understand the "why" behind waterline maintenance, compliance requirements (per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the state, and your facility), and any office-specific maintenance and monitoring policies, protocols, products, and resources.
· Following the instructions for use (IFU) for your dental unit. These IFUs will provide recommendations on source water and products to be used in your dental unit (as well as what not to use), routine care of your waterline system, management of the water bottle, and how to handle extended periods of downtime.
· Selecting appropriate dental unit waterline treatment products and following their IFUs. Waterline products may include daily tablets or liquids, straws or cartridges, shocks, or a central system.
· Testing waterlines regularly and documenting the results. Waterlines should be tested monthly until they achieve consistent passing results. Thereafter, they can be tested quarterly. Documentation should be maintained per state and/or facility requirements. All waterlines should be tested, including those for air/water syringes, high-speed handpieces, and ultrasonic scalers as well as unused waterlines and source waterlines.
ID: Could you provide an example of a complete waterline safety system that may simplify a practice's compliance program?
MTF: Sterisil has developed a unique system called the Sterisil® SAFEWATER Solution that simplifies the maintenance process and protocol. The products are designed to work together and provide results with the least amount of time and effort. Products such as their 365-day disinfection straw eliminate the need for daily maintenance, and their 15-minute in-office water test can help teams make the most of their time and, importantly, stay on track.
ID: It appears that manufacturers are responding to the needs of clinicians to help simplify a complex problem.
MTF: Waterline maintenance isn't sexy, and it doesn't increase production, but it is important to ensure the safety of patients, staff, and the practice. Recent innovations in waterline maintenance and testing products are indeed helping to simplify the challenging and important tasks outlined above-and keeping practices' compliance programs running "fluently."
Resources
· American Dental Association. Dental unit waterlines. ADA website. https://www.ada.org/resources/ada-library/oral-health-topics/dental-unit-waterlines. Updated May 31, 2024. Accessed February 21, 2025.
· CDC. Guidelines for infection control in dental health-care settings - 2003. MMWR. 2003;52(No. RR-17):1-68. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5217.pdf.
· CDC. Summary of infection prevention practices in dental settings: basic expectations for safe care. CDC website. https://www.cdc.gov/dental-infection-control/media/pdfs/2024/07/safe-care2.pdf. Published October 1, 2016. Accessed February 21, 2025.
· American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Waterline safety. AAPD website. https://www.aapd.org/resources/member/safety-toolkit/Waterline-Safety/. Accessed February 21, 2025.
· Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention. OSAP website. Dental unit water quality: organization for safety, asepsis and prevention white paper and recommendations. https://www.osap.org/assets/docs/resources/toolkits-topics/dental-unit-water-quality-organization-for-safety-asepsis-and-prevention-white-paper-and-recommendations-2018.pdf. Published January 1, 1997. Updated January 1, 2000. Accessed February 21, 2025.
· Association for Dental Safety. Dental unit waterlines (DUWL). ADS website. https://www.myads.org/topics-dental-unit-waterlines-duwl. Updated August 7, 2024. Accessed February 21, 2025.
