Surface Disinfection in the Dental Practice

How to classify critical, semi-critical and non-critical surfaces in the dental practice and choose the correct disinfection level for each, according to CDC and Ministry of Health guidelines.

Disinfecting clinical surfaces is one of the pillars of cross-infection prevention, on par with instrument sterilization, yet it often gets less attention in everyday practice. International guidelines (CDC, ECDC, WHO) and Italy's Ministry of Health guidelines apply the same risk-based classification principle used for instruments to surfaces: critical, semi-critical and non-critical surfaces, each with a treatment level proportional to transmission risk.

Critical surfaces practically coincide with surgical instruments and with the dental unit itself at points of greatest contact, and require sterilization or at least high-level disinfection. Semi-critical surfaces — handles, operating light, instrument holders, dental unit keypad — need intermediate-level disinfection between patients. Non-critical surfaces, such as floors, walls and furniture not touched during the clinical session, require only low-level cleaning and disinfection, comparable to that of a domestic environment (CDC guidelines explicitly refer to "housekeeping" for this category, ruling out the need for genuine disinfection).

A very common and effective strategy for reducing the workload on semi-critical surfaces is the physical barrier: covering high-contact areas — handles, control panel, instrument holders — with disposable transparent film and replacing it for each patient instead of disinfecting the underlying surface every time. This approach, besides being faster, reduces the risk of surface deterioration caused by repeated exposure to aggressive chemical disinfectants.

In choosing a disinfectant, a common mistake is using the same product indiscriminately on every type of surface. It's preferable to use ready-to-use solutions, which eliminate the risk of dilution errors by staff, and to always check the product's compatibility with the surface material being treated: some chlorine-based disinfectants, for example, are effective but corrosive on certain metal or plastic finishes. It's good practice to update the disinfection protocol at least once a year or whenever significant regulatory changes occur.

On Oralzon you'll find a wide range of surface disinfectants classified by action level, as well as disposable barrier film and protective covers to reduce the disinfection workload between patients.