Since the publication of HTM 01-05: Decontamination in Primary Care Dental Practices in 2008 (Department of Health (DH), 2013), we have seen a huge shift in attitude among dental professionals regarding decontamination and cross-infection.
HTM 01-05 was drawn up to maximise infection prevention and control. It gives practice teams, including service engineers and surgery designers, comprehensive guidance on instrument decontamination cycles and on providing the optimal environment for safe practice. The version published in 2013 updated some parts of 2009 document, especially around the storage or sterilisation of instruments.
HTM 01-05 encourages dental practices to reach ‘best practice’ standards. However, it will be difficult for all practices to do so; for example, many are in premises that were not built for clinical purposes, such as converted homes or offices and listed buildings, and their size or structure restricts how they can be adapted.
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