Find equipment and support you can depend on

The decontamination equipment you choose for your dental practice will have a significant impact on the quality of patient care you can deliver, the safety standards you can maintain and the workflow efficiency your team can achieve. Implementing effective solutions in the right way can also help create a stress-free working environment for increased job satisfaction among professionals.[i]

It is just as important to select a manufacturer and supplier that provides high-quality and rapid-response technical support that keeps your equipment operational and your business running smoothly. In the event of a product malfunction, having peace of mind that the experts are available to resolve issues fast is invaluable.

Having had a poor experience with customer support in the past, Dr Chris Pritchard appreciates now working with a supplier that delivers the quality infection control products and service that he and his team need.

Chris graduated in 1998, completing postgraduate General Professional Training (GPT) at Edinburgh Dental Institute. He worked as an associate in Edinburgh and New Zealand before buying his current practice, Gentle Dental Care, in 2010 from a retiring dentist who he knew from his Dundee Dental School days. About his business, Chris says:

“It is a two-surgery, family practice in the centre of the famous town of St Andrews. We offer NHS treatment to our young patients and a range of private dental services for adults. On average, we see between 10-20 patients each day. Our focus is on delivering great quality dentistry, but we are also passionate about providing excellent customer service and genuinely getting to know our patients.”

The infection control workflow is crucial for the safety of patients and staff throughout the practice. Meeting high standards begins with training the dental team, ensuring that all relevant members have the knowledge and confidence to facilitate effective decontamination processes. Chris comments on how he ensures his team remain compliant:

“We provide mandatory training as part of our staff inductions within the area of infection control. All new dental nurses are shadowed and mentored for at least 1-2 months until they are competent in understanding and replicating our cross-infection control policies.” 

Chris switched provider of decontamination equipment last year because he was dissatisfied with the service he had received from the previous company. He says:

“The equipment you use is hugely important for your practice processes. I had previously invested in lesser-known brands of autoclaves, which I found to be temperamental and unpredictable. The engineers would fix one issue, only for another unrelated problem to develop a few days later. This impacts the efficiency of the practice, disrupts patient care and creates frustration for the team. The autoclaves are the critical step in the decontamination process, so it is vital that they run consistently, without any breakdowns.”

Chris purchased a Miele PG58581 washer disinfector from Eschmann last year, followed by two Little Sister SES 3000B autoclaves and a Reverse Osmosis (RO) System from Eschmann more recently. He shares his reasons for sourcing equipment from Eschmann:

“I chose Eschmann, as amongst my peers, it was repeatedly recommended as being the best company for quality and reliability when it comes to decontamination equipment.

“I decided to introduce the RO System because we were having frequent issues with the water quality in our area and we were keen to streamline the maintenance and servicing of our equipment. Rather than purchasing multiple pieces of equipment from various different companies, we felt that keeping everything under the umbrella of Eschmann made sense.

“We now have a designated engineer, Andy, who provides us with a first-class service every time, complete with a smile! So far, we have just needed routine maintenance, so long may it continue.” Eschmann provided ECPD training for Chris and the team when installing the new equipment, in addition to the on-going maintenance already mentioned.

If you’re passionate about maintaining the highest possible standard of patient care, and creating a positive working environment for the team, be sure to invest in quality equipment. Only with the right tools and adequate support can your practice fulfil its potential.

[i] Valaei N, Rezaei S. Job satisfaction and organizational commitment: An empirical investigation among ICT-SMEs. Manage Res Rev. 2016;39(12):1663–94.