To our valued customers, below are the basic guidelines for closing down your practice.
Please be aware it is the same procedure you would carry out when shutting down for the holidays.
Please, if you have any concerns or questions about the below our technical team are still available for remote support and for essential emergency jobs. Jim and Kirsty can also be reached on the usual number 0800 298 5003, or indeed further details can be found on this page.
General and most important: Read your manufacturers instruction manuals. All suppliers have now released how to guides on their websites too.
Autoclave; we would recommend if mothballing to –
- Run a cleaning cycle if one exists, then allow to cool down with the door open
- Empty the clean and/ or dirty water reservoirs and once cooled, where you can, wipe them out with a clean lint- free cloth
- Remove trays and tray holder
- Clean out chamber of any debris bur etc.
- Unplug with the door ajar
Washer Disinfectors;
- We would recommend talking to your current service provider
RO Units
- Read your manufactures instruction manuals
- The system may require draining/ purging
- Filter cartridges may need removing & discarding if not used
Distiller;
- Make some water for your final autoclave runs and cleaning your dental packages
- Clean out units/carry out a descaling cycle (or 2)
Suction Pumps;
- Read your manufacturers instruction manuals
- Run a disinfection cleaning cycle
- Run the unit with all tips off the hanger and valves open for a good 10 mins to dry the lines in the circuit
- If you can, fit new amalgam canisters (this will decrease the risk of old amalgam drying up in the canister) and apply a little silicone grease to the new canister where the O- rings will sit
- Check/clean in-line filters, replace with new if available
- Check for leaks after the clean/disinfect cycle
- Switch off
- Run a few times a week to avoid motors seizing- a few minutes a time
- Turn off water to dental unit
X-Rays;
- Clean down
- Switch off (unit and spur on the wall)
- Check mechanical movements (smooth and free to rotate/ articulate)
- Check mechanical fixing points are secure (visual)
- Check head for leak/oil
- Park up- head facing down if possible, with a piece of tissue below (this will catch any oil leaks and indicate integrate of head)
Dental Package; Following the advice below turn off unit using the master on/off
- Run cleaning solution through water lines- all including 3 in1- then depending on solutions used, follow instruction for short term shutdown or long-term shutdown
- Possibly empty the water bottle, refit and purge water from outlets and 3 in 1 and run for several minutes to dry all internal pipelines
- Remove any couplings from hoses, clean and lubricate with minimal silicone grease
- Clean the nut on the hose and lubricate with minimal silicone grease
Suction;
- Remove tip
- Remove tip holders, strip, clean, autoclave, lubricate and reassemble or replace if old/ discoloured
- Check/ replace filters
- Check condition of hoses, tears stiffness of hoses
Spitoon Valve: Do this with the Vacuum pump on!
- Run cleaner/disinfector solution through each hose
- Use nurses switch to drain valve
- Run for several minutes to dry valve and pipelines
- Check/clean filters
- Clean housing and refit with a little silicone grease
Light;
- Clean
Service box;
- This is hard to access and may require a qualified engineer
- Turn off the mechanical air and water valves- the master valves may not always necessarily work especially on the water!
- Bowl flush and cup fill lines may stay full- this may need an engineer to drain
- Regulator filter/water/ air filters may need replacing at start up
- Do a general clean once and over
- Disinfect/wipe down
- Make note of any issues
- Photograph
- Cover with dust cloth
Handpieces;
- We would recommend talking to your current service provider/ manufacturers
- Drain and flush your handpieces thoroughly. Allow to dry so no water is left behind.
Compressors
- When no longer required allow to run and pressure if running
- One option is then to turn it off at the wall and/ or on the control point of the compressor
- If there are any leaks it will slowly drain to zero or near to zero
- Or, switch off and in one of the surgeries run off air until there is 2 bar or les air pressure on the gauges on the compressor
- It is now relatively safe to drain the vessel (using ie.PPE face visor; apron, cloves & ear plugs) following PUWER/user training until vessel is empty
- When empty tighten drain point
- This would be one of the last units to decommission and one of the first to re- commission following a short/medium shut down
Always make sure you turn off your water supply at the stop cock and the electricity supply at the isolator.
Helpful links:
A-dec
WhatsApp 0794 000 8496.
Cattani
Belmont
Tridac
Fedesa
Jun Air
Bambi
https://bambi-air.co.uk/contact-us/
FPS
NSK
W&H
