In our office, we take great concern regarding infection control, sterilization, and the elimination of cross contamination.  It starts with training and retraining on a frequent basis.  All of our instruments are sterilized in an autoclave (a steam-pressure sterilizer).  Our autoclave is tested by an independent lab to verify its effectiveness and accuracy.  Any items that cannot be sterilized are disposed of.  We use a closed water system with purified bottled water for our equipment (drills and air-water syringes) and we run a disinfectant through the waterlines to insure that the water tubing stays clean and healthy.  We also monitor our waterlines for any bacterial growth.  We take infection control very seriously.  Our rule is that we treat every patient as safely as we want our families to be treated.