It’s 2020, and we’ve all been forced to make changes to our practices to ensure the safety of our patients and employees. Just like all of you, I sat through countless hours of CE, learning how to minimize aerosols and their exposure. I decided to buy the PureVac HVE for my hygienist, as it has a lumen greater than 8mm, the magical diameter for the reduction of aerosols. PPE and other safety items were hard to obtain, due to high demand. I was so proud of myself to have not only secured the PureVac HVE for my hygienist, also enough tips for the entire day. I felt like an infection control hero!
My hygienist really appreciated the tips and was pleasantly surprised at how well they worked and how powerful it was to use HVE during her aerosol-producing procedures. It didn’t take much time for her to adapt to using it, as it is significantly different than using a traditional mirror. In addition, patients appreciated the
efforts made by our team to minimize aerosol exposure and this was a noticeable, positive addition to our armamentarium.
I have been sharing my experiences with changing my clinical team after my office reopened and there was one thing I forgot to mention to my assistants: These tips are autoclavable. My temporary assistant didn’t realize this important piece of information and tossed my PureVac HVE tips into the trash! Now they are backordered and who knows when I will be able to replenish my treasured supply. Thankfully, we have other solutions for reduction of aerosols, but this one was the dental hygiene holy grail.
Long story short, make sure to educate your entire team. Communication is key. Although they look like the standard disposable HVE tips (see Figure 1), the PureVac HVE tips are autoclavable. When I am able to acquire more PureVac tips, I will be sure to educate everyone about them.
Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Through the Loupes newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles at this link and subscribe here.
Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics.
