The term “green building” has become popular for describing a people- and planet-friendly space. The concept was a factor in every decision we made for our new integrative dentist office. From selecting the location to construction choices to planning our move – It guides our maintenance and management choices every day.
Our Green Health Solutions
- Recycled color-correct and efficient fluorescent lighting used in treatment areas
- Reduced toxic fumes with paint containing zero volatile organic compounds (VOC)
- Treatment rooms feature windows with a terraced view of classic, East Texas woods
- Windows are energy-efficient and double-paned glass with an added film coating
- Porcelain and Marmoleum flooring (polyurethane-free) decreases bacterial growth
- Amalgam – separators collect mercury waste too often found in dental plumbing
- Zoned air filtration uses maximum energy-efficient system
Improved Wellness & Clean Solutions
Zoned Air Filtration Stages
Filtered Spring Water For Drinking & Treatment
Mountain Valley Spring Water filters through granite-based aquifers collecting all the goodness from the land. The water is sodium-free with a naturally balanced pH and rich blend of calcium, magnesium and potassium. This mineral rich water benefits a painless dental experience by providing greater hydration and oral hygiene.
Treatment Room Sanitation
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): wearing task-oriented gloves, masks, eyewear and lab coats, as appropriate
- After each procedure, the contaminated instruments are gathered and placed in a cassette (closed instrument tray) to go to the sterilization lab
- All biohazard waste is placed in biohazard waste containers
- All protective barriers are removed and placed in the trash
- Air/water syringe tips and dental burs are taken to the sterilization lab to be autoclaved (cleaned by high pressure saturated steam)
- Air/water and hand-piece lines are flushed with ozonated water (30 seconds each)
- Surfaces disinfected with Cavicide for 5 minutes to eliminate surface pathogens
- Gloves are removed and hands washed
- New gloves and protective barriers placed for the next patient
Instrument Sterilization Process
As above, our staff wears PPE, as appropriate.
- The cassette of used instruments is taken to the sterilization lab and placed in an ultrasonic cleaner for 15 minutes of hands-free scrubbing
- The cassette is rinsed for 3 minutes in cold water, then placed in a drying unit for 5 minutes
- The cassette is opened and inspected. If all is in order, the cassette is placed in a sterile wrap, sealed and labeled
- The cassette is autoclaved in a 1 hour, 3 step sterilization process. After it has been sterilized and is cool to touch, it is placed in a sterile cabinet until needed. Color-changing tape on the cassette serves as a monitor of its successful sterilization
- A Biological Monitoring System is performed once a week on each autoclave, using bacterial spore test strips to monitor steam, dry heat, chemical vapor and ethylene oxide gas sterilization processes