A new training facility for students to learn how to use decontamination equipment was officially opened last month at the University of Portsmouth’s dental academy.
The decontamination training suite, sponsored by Eschmann will allow dental students to learn about the practical elements of sterilisation in a safe environment to prepare them for using the dental academy’s actual decontamination suite, which can only be operated by trained technicians. David Gibson, marketing manager at Eschmann commented: “Portsmouth Dental Academy is unique in that it is the only University in the UK with facilities like this. It’s a truly groundbreaking educational initiative that provides students with a taste of reallife decontamination. We have worked with the university for several years, and have this opportunity to work more closely with them.”
The suite will provide students with a clear insight into how safe and effective instrument decontamination can and should be implemented within a typical dental practice. The training room will be used by student dental therapists and dental nurses who will be trained in all aspects of decontamination and infection control, from instrument cleaning to testing and validation.
John Weld, clinical director of Portsmouth University Dental Academy, said: “The new decontamination suite is a fantastic
addition to the state-of-the-art facilities we already have at Portsmouth. It will allow students to handle the equipment and give them the opportunity to make mistakes without compromising patient care.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Eschmann because it’s vital for academic institutions to
have relationships with industry - by allowing students to practise on industry-standard equipment we are better preparing them for working in the dental profession once they graduate.”
The training room was opened by the dean of science, Prof Paul Hayes, who said: “The Dental Academy is, without any doubt, one of the jewels in the university’s crown. What has been achieved here is now serving as a model of best practice in preparing dental care professionals for life in primary care. It is enormously satisfying that this new decontamination training
room is available to our students and to the wider community to meet their CPD needs.”
Students who will be using the training suite in the future were excited about what was to come and explained what they were expecting from it. Natalie Frances explained how the new facilities would improve the students’ preparation for practice, “Although we used to get to observe in the actual decontamination suite, that is quite different to how it is in practise. The
new facilities are much more like what you’re going to get in practice so it just gets you ready for it.”
Fellow student Karen Brooker finished by saying, “The theory is one thing, but then actually seeing it and being able to do it gives you that experience of what it is going to be like, so this training should be great to prepare us.”
The dental academy delivers teambased undergraduate training. The students work side by side in the reality of the primary care environment, similar to a high street practice. This is an approach which benefits the students by mirroring the way they
will go on to work in their professional careers. The academy is looking into opening the training suite to students around the country with the potential of providing CPD seminars as well.