How to Fight the Six Biggest Threats to DSO Air Quality

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While Covid-19 raised public awareness of the dangers of airborne viruses, indoor air quality was a concern for dental groups long before the pandemic. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor named  “dental worker” (which includes dentists and hygienists) as the most unhealthy job, based on high scores for exposure to contaminants and disease pathogens found in the air of dental offices.

For more than a decade, Surgically Clean Air® has supported dental professionals with products that provide clean, purified indoor air—not just as part of proper infection control protocol, but also as a more pleasant environment for your patients and providers.

What’s in the air we breathe?

According to the EPA, indoor concentrations of pollutants can be up to five times higher than outdoors1. This is especially true for dental environments, where a number of factors contribute to poor air quality:

  • Bioaerosols
    Dental instruments create hazardous bioaerosols—a fine mist of droplets containing microbes from the saliva, blood, and subgingival fluids that can stay suspended in the air for hours.
  • Chemicals
    Dental office air can contain a number of undesirable chemical compounds, ranging from harsh disinfectants to mercury vapors created during the removal of amalgam fillings.
  • VOCs
    Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are potentially harmful airborne gases that can be emitted from furniture, dental equipment, and flooring.
  • Viruses and Bacteria
    Just one sick patient can spread infectious illness throughout the practice, exhaling fine droplets that are capable of migrating up to 160 feet from the mouth.
  • Dust
    Easily airborne, dust commonly includes a mix of skin cells, hair, clothing fiber, bacteria, dust mites, soil particles, pollen, and even microscopic bits of plastic.
  • Noxious Odors
    Unpleasant odors and old, recirculated air result in stale indoor air quality.

You might think that your existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system offers built-in protection. Ironically, outdated HVAC systems can actually make poor air quality worse by continually redistributing and recirculating airborne contaminants throughout the dental environment.

The simple solution: JADE™

Adding free-standing, HEPA-filter air purifiers is a simple, cost-effective alternative to expensive HVAC upgrades. One excellent choice is the JADE Air Purifier by Surgically Clean Air, available exclusively to the dental industry through A-dec®.

JADE effectively removes up to 99.998% of viruses, bacteria, and odors from the air, then releases purified, re-energized air back into the room. As one of the world’s most advanced stand-alone air purifiers, JADE is powered by a unique, six-stage technology:

PRE-FILTER
Utilizing a large volume airflow, the pre-filter stage catches the largest particles in the room as air is drawn through the intake chamber at the bottom of the unit.

HEPA-RX FILTER
The HEPA-Rx filter captures 99.2% of ultrafine particles 0.0025 microns in size—and 99.998% of particles of 0.1 microns in size (that’s 1/250,000 of an inch).

ACTIVATED CARBON FILTER
The activated carbon filter absorbs volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including noxious odors, chemicals, and gases.

GERMICIDAL UV-C+ LIGHT
The high-intensity germicidal UV-C+ light works with the TiO2 catalyst to rupture the DNA of viruses and bacteria.

TIO2 CATALYST
The titanium dioxide catalyst works with the germicidal UV-C+ light, releasing the electrons at the catalyst surface. These electrons interact with water molecules to create hydroxyl radicals, which further attack pollutants, breaking apart their chemical bonds.

REVITALIZING NEGATIVE ION CHAMBER
Before the pure, clean air is released back into the room, it is revitalized with negative ions. Studies have shown that negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain, resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy2.

Sleek, streamlined, and easy to position, JADE is a smart solution for treatment rooms, sterilization areas, waiting rooms and other common spaces.

Clean air, pure and simple.

Designed with a large capacity airflow for robust performance, a single JADE Air Purifier can clean and purify up to 2,000 cubic feet of space, with six air changes per hour. Despite its remarkable power, JADE is surprisingly quiet. Even on the highest setting, it produces only 55 decibels of sound—quieter than a normal conversation.

Other thoughtful features include a top air outlet, which distributes clean air without creating uncomfortable breezes or drafts. JADE’s touchless controls let staff easily activate the unit and adjust speeds without using their hands, to prevent cross-contamination. Easy-to-read displays show the current air quality and particulate levels for peace of mind.

Breathe easy with JADE.

Indoor air quality plays a critical role in patients’ first impressions—and lasting opinions—of your dental group. Adding JADE Air Purifiers shows a commitment to creating a safe, healthy environment. Your patients and providers can breathe a bit easier, knowing there’s another level of reassurance in every operatory.

Considering the average adult breathes in 11,000 liters of indoor air every day, it’s worth making each and every breath as clean, fresh, and energized as possible—with a JADE Air Purifier.

Talk to an A-dec DSO specialist
for more information.
1-800-547-1883 or DSOcustomerservice@A-dec.com

 

1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1987. The total exposure assessment methodology (TEAM) study: Summary and analysis. EPA/600/6-87/002a. Washington, DC.

2 “Treating Depression with Atypical Symptoms Using Negative Air Ions at High Density,” Michael Terman, PhD, Columbia University, New York.

 


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