Transitioning your clinic to AS/NZS 5369
One of the largest challenges facing modern dental clinics is the implementation of reprocessing practices for instruments that align with contemporary requirements, especially ASA/NZS 5369:2023 and its 2026 amendment, and the related ISO international standards.
The regulatory context for dental clinics in NSW is also shaped by the September 2025 regulation, and by requirements from ACSQHC for those clinics involved in accreditation. This course is designed to help clinicians and dental staff navigate the landscape of NSW requirements, with practical advice on topics within reprocessing, including the use of various resources from ADA along the journey of implementing the standard.
The course will help to explain the how as well as the when and why when it comes to implementing the standard. Insights will be shared that come from over 30 years of the presenter’s involvement with writing standards, auditing clinics, serving on regulatory bodies, and researching the practical aspects of infection prevention and control in the clinical setting and in the microbiology laboratory setting.
Following attendance at this lecture, the practitioner will have a solid understanding of the requirements for compliance and will have fulfilled educational requirements which are an obligatory expectation of the regulator (Dental Council of NSW).
Topics
- Regulatory framework for the 5369 standard in NSW legislation
- Impact of the 2026 Amendment to the standard
- Transition pathways to meeting the requirements of the standard
- Common areas of challenge in the journey of implementation
- Optimal procedures for reprocessing instruments
- Recent updates in other areas of infection prevention and control
Learning Objectives
- Gain an understanding of the regulatory environment
- Follow pathways that facilitate the implementation of the standard
- Appreciate how to identify common failure points in reprocessing of instruments
- Implement effective procedures for pre-cleaning, cleaning, inspecting, packaging and sterilising instruments
- Implement proper labelling and storage of sterilised instruments
