Dental Clinic Sterilization & Infection Control Protocol
At Citydent Istanbul, every instrument that enters your mouth has passed through a verified, multi-stage sterilization process. This page outlines the infection control procedures we follow between every patient, every day.
How We Prepare the Treatment Room Between Patients
After every patient, the treatment room is reset according to a defined clinical sequence before the next appointment begins.
The treatment unit tray, handpiece holders, hose connections, and light handles are wiped with an approved surface disinfectant. All surfaces the clinician may have touched during the procedure are included in this routine — not just visibly contaminated ones.
Used handpieces are detached, burs are removed, and all instruments are transferred to the sterilization unit. Disposable air-water syringe tips are discarded as clinical waste; the syringe body is disinfected before a new sterile tip is attached.
The cuspidor undergoes a three-stage cycle: debris rinse, disinfectant contact for three to five minutes, second rinse, and external wipe-down. The examination tray cover is inspected and replaced immediately if contaminated.
Once the room has been cleaned and restocked, a fresh sterile instrument set is laid out and the room is cleared for the next patient.
Infection Control Measures After Each Treatment
Immediately after treatment is complete, personal protective equipment is removed in the correct sequence to prevent self-contamination. Gloves, masks, patient bibs, disposable cups, cotton, and all single-use items are discarded as infectious medical waste.
Sharp items — scalpel blades, suture needles, and local anaesthetic cartridges — are placed directly into approved sharps containers. They are never recapped or left on the tray.
Micromotor handpieces, turbine handpieces, and ultrasonic scaler tips are removed and transferred to the sterilization room. Endodontic instruments and rotary burs are immersed in enzymatic disinfectant solution as a pre-cleaning step before entering the full sterilization workflow.
Autoclave Sterilization: Our Standard Procedure
Our Class B autoclave operates at 134 °C. Every instrument set is processed through a full cycle before it is considered sterile and cleared for clinical use.
Pre-Cleaning and Instrument Handling
Contaminated instruments are handled only by staff wearing gloves and masks. They are rinsed under pressurized water and brushed thoroughly to remove all organic matter. Instruments in contact with blood or body fluids are classified as critical and require the full sterilization cycle — no exceptions.
Packaging, Sterilisation Cycle and Verification
Each instrument or set is sealed individually in steam-compatible pouches. Chemical indicators in every pouch confirm that sterilization conditions were met. Baskets are loaded at two-thirds capacity for unrestricted steam circulation. The surgical programme runs at 134 °C for 60 minutes; indicator results are reviewed before the load is released.
Storage and Distribution of Sterile Instruments
Sterilized pouches cool in the autoclave area before handling. Any abnormal packaging, failed indicator, or compromised seal triggers re-sterilization. Cleared instruments are stored in designated sterile areas and distributed to clinical rooms only by authorised staff.
End-of-Day and Deep Cleaning Protocol
At the close of each working day, the entire dental unit undergoes a full clean-down. Hoses and filters are flushed and cleaned. The cuspidor is disinfected a second time. All unit surfaces, chair controls, and handpiece holders are wiped with disinfectant.
Clinical staff follow hand hygiene protocol at the start and end of every session: soap wash, dry, and where indicated, alcohol-based hand rub. Personal protective equipment — gloves, masks, and protective eyewear — is worn throughout all clinical work and removed safely at the end of each procedure.
Patients who would like to ask specific questions about our sterilization procedures before booking are welcome to contact our clinic.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Are the instruments used during my treatment sterilized individually?
Yes. Every instrument that may enter the oral cavity is individually pouched, autoclaved, and stored in a sealed sterile environment until the moment it is used. Reusable instruments are never used between patients without passing through the full sterilization cycle.
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What temperature does Citydent use for autoclave sterilization?
Our Class B autoclave operates at 134 °C for a 60-minute surgical instrument cycle. Chemical indicators in each pouch confirm that sterilization conditions were met. Any load that does not pass indicator verification is re-sterilized before use.
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Are disposable items used for every patient?
Yes. Single-use items — including gloves, masks, patient bibs, cups, air-water syringe tips, and suction tips — are discarded as clinical waste after each appointment. They are never reprocessed or reused.
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How is the treatment room cleaned between appointments?
After every patient, all touched surfaces are disinfected with an approved surface disinfectant. The cuspidor is rinsed and disinfected with a three-to-five-minute contact time. Fresh instrument trays and a sterile set are prepared before the next patient enters.
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Does Citydent follow international infection control standards?
Yes. Our sterilization and infection control procedures follow the guidelines published by relevant dental and public health authorities. All clinical staff are trained in standard precautions, and the protocols described on this page are applied consistently across every appointment.