Dental operatory disinfection is essential to both patient safety and practice efficiency — making the right disinfectants and cleaners a vital part of your everyday infection control protocols. Whether you’re looking for dental disinfectant wipes, disinfectant sprays or other ready-to-use solutions, we offer a comprehensive selection designed to support your team and safeguard your patients. Explore our extensive portfolio today, from leading manufacturers such as Metrex, Kerr TotalCare and PDI, along with our dedicated Henry Schein® Brand product portfolio.
From light handles and drawer knobs to operatory equipment and counters, countless surfaces in a dental practice can become contaminated — whether through touch, splashes or droplets. Selecting the right surface disinfectant is key to maintaining proper infection control and minimizing the risk of transmission. To help ensure effective dental operatory disinfection, the CDC recommends the following guidelines:
Low-level surface disinfectants are EPA-registered and do not carry a tuberculocidal claim (though they may carry an HBV or HIV claim). They help eliminate most vegetative bacteria, some viruses and fungi, but are not effective against mycobacteria or bacterial spores. For this reason, they are best suited for non-critical surfaces that are not frequently touched or contaminated.
Intermediate-level surface disinfectants are EPA-registered with a tuberculocidal claim, and are effective against bacteria, most viruses and fungi — but not bacterial spores. They are required for use on both clinical contact surfaces (e.g., light handles, equipment controls, bracket trays) and housekeeping surfaces (e.g., floors, walls, sinks) that are visibly contaminated with blood or other infectious materials.
High-level surface disinfectants, like glutaraldehyde, function as chemical sterilants. Due to their highly toxic nature, they should never be used on environmental surfaces. Instead, they are specifically intended for heat-sensitive instruments that require proper sterilization, careful handling and adequate ventilation to ensure maximum safety.
Important: Always choose EPA-registered disinfectants specifically labeled for use in health care settings. If a dental surface is visibly contaminated with blood or other potentially infectious material, first clean it, then disinfect it using an EPA-registered, intermediate-level hospital disinfectant with a tuberculocidal claim.
Not sure where to look? Simply use the filter in the link below to sort by “intermediate-level” and “hospital-level” surface disinfectants.
Even with careful protocols in place, simple mistakes can compromise the efficacy of surface disinfectants and cleaners, increasing the risk of cross-contamination. To effectively clean and disinfect dental treatment rooms, understanding how — and why — to avoid these common pitfalls can help you maintain a safer, more compliant environment for your patients and team:
Shop exceptional-quality surface disinfectant products at an affordable price with Henry Schein Brand, including our exclusive MaxiWipe™ dental disinfectant wipes.
Dental operatory disinfection starts with the right products. Trust Metrex and Kerr TotalCare for reliable surface disinfectant solutions designed to support your infection control protocols.
Maintain a clean and sanitary environment with PDI’s convenient, ready-to-use germicidal wipes, formulated to meet the rigorous demands of health care settings.
Michelle Strange, RDH, demonstrates how to properly disinfect your equipment, choose the right chemicals and avoid common mistakes that could compromise safety.
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Michelle Strange, RDH, shares three tips to make your operatory turnover safer and faster, including the use of an EPA-registered, hospital-grade tuberculocidal surface disinfectant.
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