Managing water quality with peace of mind

To educate readers as to how biofilm forms within dental unit water lines, alert them to the potential issues arising if biofilm is left untreated and to raise awareness of some effective ways of managing and reducing biofilm in dental unit water lines.

Objectives

GDC development outcome C

Evidence of the potential problems caused by biofilm contamination in Dental Unit Water Lines (DUWLs) has been in the professional arena since the early 1960s. But, more recent cases have brought the issue into sharp focus. In 2012, a reported case of Legionnaire’s disease associated with DUWL contamination resulted in the death of an elderly Italian woman.¹ Closer to home, the deaths of three babies at Belfast’s Royal Jubilee Hospital in January 2012 was attributed to contaminated tap water in the intensive care rooms of the affected neonatal units. In response to this case, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RIQA) recommended the immediate implementation of a water management action plan.²