| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2020 | Volume
: 12
| Issue : 1 | Page : 3-8 |
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Disinfection Trends of Dental X-ray Machines in North American Dental Schools
Mel Mupparapu, Angela Denise Lo
University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Correspondence Address:
Mel Mupparapu
University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 240 S 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
USA
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/jofs.jofs_39_20
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Introduction: This study evaluates the trends in the disinfection of the dental X-ray machines in North American dental schools. The methods of disinfection were compared to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. Materials and Methods: A survey posed the question of whether plastic barrier wrap, bag, disinfecting wipes, or a combination were used for infection control of the tube head. Additional information was gathered from the dental schools’ infection policy guides and clinic manuals available online. Results: Of the forty-two Canadian and US dental schools surveyed, 24% used disinfectant wipes, 19% used bags, 19% used plastic surface barriers, and 38% used a combination. Conclusion: The majority of schools used a combination of the three methods, and all institutions abided by the CDC guidelines. As bags are more cumbersome to use with a rectangular collimator, wipes and barriers are arguably better methods to disinfect the X-ray tube head.
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