Fact or fiction?

David Gibson discusses reducing the risks of airborne pathogens with air disinfection technology.

As the UK’s dental practices look to re-open their doors to patients, there is a significant level of uncertainty over what the new normal of dental care will look like. With the spotlight focussing brightly on the issues of AGPs, the requirement for comprehensive PPE and procedures to mitigate the risks and prepare the surgery for the next patient have been considered and recorded in detail. However, little focus has been placed on one of the newest technologies that has been proven to significantly reduce the risks from harmful airborne pathogens – that of plasma air-disinfection.

Although very little has been quoted in the latest Back to Practice guidance about air treatment, published by the likes of the OCDO and FGDP, there are a raft of technologies that have recently been placed on the market that make various claims concerning their abilities to reduce the risk from harmful airborne pathogens that can be produced during AGPs.