GDA Waterline Basics with Michelle Strange, MSDH, RDH-GDA Waterline Basics with Michelle Strange, MSDH, RDH

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar introduces dental hygienist and infection prevention educator Michelle Strange, who reviews dental unit waterline (DUWL) basics to help practices implement safe, compliant protocols—especially in light of Georgia’s emerging requirements (quarterly testing/documentation, written SOPs, and staff training).

Strange explains DUWL contamination is primarily a <em>waterline</em> (biofilm) problem, not simply a source-water problem—distilled water alone is not antimicrobial. Biofilm forms quickly (even in new units) and can create high bacterial counts within days. Managing DUWLs breaks the chain of infection and protects both patients (including vulnerable children; referenced outbreaks involved serious illness) and dental staff exposed to aerosols.

Core program: <strong>flush, test, treat/maintain, shock, document</strong>. Use <strong>sterile water/saline for surgical procedures</strong> (not DUWL water). Practices should determine whether units are on <strong>bottle/reservoir systems vs. city water</strong>; city-plumbed systems may need retrofitting to allow treatment/shocking.

Testing options include <strong>lab-based R2A</strong> (gold standard; detects slow growers) and <strong>rapid presence/threshold tests</strong>. Establish a baseline, test more frequently initially (e.g., three consecutive months) before moving to quarterly if consistently passing; avoid testing immediately after shocking. Samples may be <strong>pooled per operatory</strong> (not whole office). Shocking follows product IFUs, usually overnight, with clear labeling and flushing afterward. Ensure chemical compatibility (straw/cartridge systems may require “dummy” straws). Emphasis is placed on <strong>SOPs</strong>, assigning an <strong>infection control coordinator</strong>, and keeping logs (“if it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen”).

Keywords

dental unit waterlines (DUWL)

biofilm contamination

infection prevention in dentistry

DUWL flushing testing treatment shocking

Georgia DUWL compliance requirements

quarterly waterline testing and documentation

R2A lab-based water testing

rapid water quality threshold tests

sterile water for surgical dental procedures

infection control SOPs and coordinator