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Dental Unit Waterlines (DUWL)

Overview | Resources | Fact Sheets & Information| Related Articles 

Overview 

Biofilm is a thin, slimy film of bacteria that sticks to moist surfaces. Dental unit waterlines have unique characteristics that make them prone to biofilm formation, including long, small-diameter tubing, low flow rates, and frequent periods of stagnation.

High numbers of common water bacteria can be found in untreated dental unit water systems, including Legionella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and nontuberculous Mycobacteria. These bacteria can cause serious, sometimes life-threating infections. Source: CDC

Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings — 2003
• Appendix A - Regulatory Framework for Disinfectants and Sterilants;includes Figure: Decreasing Order of Resistance of Micro-organisms to Germicidal Chemicals
• Appendix B - Immunizations Strongly Recommended for Health-Care Personnel (HCP)
• Appendix C - Methods for Sterilizing and Disinfecting Patient-Care Items and Environmental Surfaces

• Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care
• Infection Prevention Checklist for Dental Settings Basic Expectations for Safe Care
• HAN - October 31, 2022 - Outbreaks of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Infections Highlight Importance of Maintaining and Monitoring Dental Waterlines
• Mycobacterium absecessus in Healthcare Settings
• Dental Unit Water Quality
• Infection Prevention & Control in Dental Settings

Association for Dental Safety (ADS), formerly known as the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP)

• Dental Unit Water Quality: Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention White Paper and Recommendations– 2018
• ADS Recommendations to Clinicians
• Message to My Patients
• Questions to Help Guide Selection of Dental Waterline Devices and Chemical Treatment Options
• Checklist for Dental Unit Water Quality Improvement
• Troubleshooting Dental Water Quality Problems
• Glossary of Terminology

 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• Dental Unit Waterlines

American Dental Association (ADA)

• Dental Unit Waterlines

Fact Sheets & Information 

Association for Dental Safety (ADS), formerly known as the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP)

• Dental Unit Waterline Fact Sheet

Related Articles

• Woman Dies After Contracting Legionnaires' Disease From Dentist's Office
• Notes from the Field: Mycobacterium abscessus Infections Among Patients of a Pediatric Dentistry Practice — Georgia, 2015
• Invasive Mycobacterium abscessus Outbreak at a Pediatric Dental Clinic