Recent Blog Posts

• Thyroid Collars In, Lead Aprons Optional: A Look at Health Canada’s Safety Code 30

  Posted: September 09, 2026

  Categories: Personal Protection and Safety , Patient Health , Professional , Radiography/X-ray , maxill University
  

  In 2022, Health Canada updated its recommendations for radiation protection in dentistry through Safety Code 30. One of the notable changes pertains to the use of lead aprons during dental X-ray procedures. While lead aprons have traditionally been a standard protective measure, the new guidelines suggest that their use is optional in certain scenarios. However, the use of thyroid collars remains a critical requirement. This article delves into the rationale behind these changes, the decision-making authority regarding protective measures, and the importance of individualized client care in dental radiography.

  Lead Aprons: Optional Use in Routine Dental X-rays

  According to the revised Safety Code 30, the routine use of lead aprons for clients during standard dental X-ray procedures is no longer deemed necessary, provided that all other recommendations for

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• Why Sterile Instruments Should Never Be Stored at Floor Level (Even in a Closed Drawer)

  Posted: August 26, 2026

  Categories: IPAC Compliance , Infection Control , Professional , maxill University , Sterilization
  

  If you’ve ever walked into a sterilization area or supply room and noticed sterile instruments stored in the lowest drawer, bottom cabinet, or on a shelf near the floor, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common “it seems fine” storage habits in dental settings, especially when space is tight.

  But here’s the truth… storing sterile instruments at ground level increases risk, even if the instruments are wrapped, even if they’re in a closed drawer, and even if they “aren’t technically touching the floor.” This isn’t just a rule for the sake of rules. It’s a practical, evidence-based risk reduction control that protects sterility, improves workflow, and reduces avoidable reprocessing. Let’s break it down.

  The Simple Truth: The Floor Zone Is the Highest-Risk Zone

  In every healthcare environment, including dental operatories and sterilization rooms, the floor is where contamination accumulates. That’s because the floor is constantly exposed to:

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• Why Quarantine Alone Is Not an Instrument Traceability System

  Posted: July 29, 2026

  Categories: IPAC Compliance , Infection Control , Professional , maxill University , Sterilization
  

  Quarantining instruments after sterilization is an important safeguard in dental practice. Holding instruments until sterilization monitoring results are available, especially biological indicator results, helps prevent the premature release of a failed load.

  However, quarantine on its own is not an instrument traceability system. It is one part of a larger system.

  Quarantine answers one question: Can this sterilization load be released?

  Traceability answers a broader and more defensible question:

  Can we prove which instruments were used, on which patient, from which sterilizer and load?

  That distinction matters.

  Quarantine Is a Release-Control Step

  Quarantine is a holding process. It keeps instruments

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• Why the Foil Test No Longer Meets Today’s Ultrasonic Testing Standards

  Posted: July 15, 2026

  Categories: IPAC Compliance , Infection Control , Professional , maxill University
  

  For many years, dental offices have used the foil test as a simple way to check whether an ultrasonic bath was producing cavitation. The process was familiar: place a piece of foil into the ultrasonic cleaner, run the cycle, and look for pitting, marks, or perforations in the foil as a sign that the unit was functioning.

  However, current Canadian reprocessing standards have moved beyond this method.

  As outlined in CAN/CSA-Z314:23, Canadian Medical Device Reprocessing in All Healthcare Settings, under Clause 11: Decontamination of reusable medical devices, ultrasonic cleaners shall be tested using commercial methods that verify cleaning and functionality daily when the ultrasonic cleaner is used. The standard also notes that foil testing is not a validated testing method.

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