Recent Blog Posts

• When SMMS Wrap Melts: A Troubleshooting Guide for Dental Offices

  Posted: April 09, 2026

  Categories: Infection Control , Professional , Troubleshooting
  

  Sterilization wrap is a critical element to instrument reprocessing. When used correctly, it creates a critical barrier that protects sterile instruments from contamination until point of use. But what happens when your SMMS wrap starts melting in the autoclave? It’s more than frustrating, it’s a red flag. This guide walks you through common causes and solutions when your sterilization wrap doesn’t perform as expected.

  Understanding the Material: What Is SMMS Wrap?

  SMMS (Spunbond-Meltblown-Meltblown-Spunbond) is a four-layer nonwoven material commonly used in sterilization wrap. It's engineered to resist microbial penetration and mechanical wear while allowing steam to pass through during sterilization. When SMMS wrap melts, the problem usually isn’t the wrap itself, it’s the processing conditions.

  Troubleshooting: Where Things Go Wrong

  Here’s a practical breakdown of what to investigate if your SMMS wrap is melting or distorti

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• Animals and Plants in the Dental Office: What IPAC Standards Say

  Posted: March 11, 2026

  Categories: IPAC Compliance , Infection Control , Professional
  

  Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) is at the heart of safe dental care. While much of the conversation focuses on sterilization, PPE, and operatory protocols, questions often arise about something more everyday: Can we have animals or plants in the dental office?

  The answer lies in understanding accessibility laws, IPAC standards, and the principle that everything in the patient care environment must be capable of being cleaned and disinfected.

  Animals in the Dental Office

  Service animals, such as trained dogs assisting patients with disabilities, are permitted in dental offices under accessibility and inclusion laws. These animals must be allowed entry and cannot be denied access to care.

  Emotional support or personal pets, however, are not protected under these laws and are not permitted in dental offices unless they qualify as certified service animals.

  That said, staff members sometimes wonder if they can bring

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• Wait… Extracted Teeth Aren’t Biohazard Waste?! So What Actually Is Biomedical Waste in a Dental Office?

  Posted: February 12, 2026

  Categories: IPAC Compliance , Infection Control , Professional
  

  If you've ever paused mid-procedure and thought:

  "This is literally a human body part... how is this NOT biohazard waste?" You're not alone. One of the most misunderstood areas in dental Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) is biomedical waste classification, especially when it comes to extracted teeth. Let's clear it up.

  First: What Is Biomedical Waste?

  According to the Centre for Disease Control and dental regulatory bodies, biomedical waste is classified as hazardous waste and must:

  • Be stored in colour-coded containers with the universal biohazard symbol
  • Be released to an approved biomedical waste carrier

  However, that does NOT include all waste.

  Biomedical waste falls into two categories:

  1. Anatomical Waste (Human Tissue)

  This

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• What If Your IPAC Manual Only Cost You $9/Day… for One Year Only? Is $9/Day Worth Peace of Mind and Being Audit-Ready?

  Posted: February 02, 2026

  Categories: IPAC Compliance , Infection Control , Professional
  

  Let's be honest: dental offices are constantly being asked to invest in something, equipment, supplies, staffing, software, repairs, continuing education... the list never ends.

  So, when an office hears the price of a professionally built IPAC program, the first reaction is often:

  "Can we get a discount?"

  And I get it.

  But here's the better question:

  So... what if it only cost $9/day... for one year only?
  Is $9 worth peace of mind?

  Why clinics shop an IPAC manual like it's a box of gloves (and why it isn't)

  When clinics ask for discounts, it's not always because they don't care about IPAC.

  Most of the time, it's because they don't realize what they're actually buying.

  Because an IPAC manual is not a box of gloves.
  It's not a commodity.
  It's not something you compare like price tags on supplies.

  Read more »