Abstract: Dentists take great care to be sure that the instruments used during treatment are clean and free of disease-causing germs. Some dental instruments are designed to be used once and then disposed of (single use), while others can be used multiple times (reusable). To prepare reusable instruments for use between patients, specially trained dental staff members must▪thoroughly clean the instrument according to the directions provided by the manufacturer▪look the instrument over carefully to be sure that it is clean and dry▪sterilize or disinfect the instrument. Just like with washing dishes, the first step is cleaning dental instruments to remove any debris. Often, the staff members use a brush and disinfecting detergent to scrub the instrument. Some offices have automated dishwashers to handle this step. In addition, ultrasonic cleaning can be performed. After cleaning, each instrument must be thoroughly rinsed. It is important to inspect the instrument carefully before the sterilization or disinfection stage. When looking the instrument over, the staff member is trying to make sure that it has been thoroughly cleaned (with nothing stuck to the surface) and dried to prevent corrosion, like rust, from forming. After inspection, instruments need to be prepared for sterilization. They need to be exposed to extreme heat that will kill any germs left on the instruments. Instruments that have passed inspection will be wrapped and then placed on a tray or in a closed container. To make sure sterilization is successful, a dental staff member will place a chemical indicator inside the package so that it can be seen from the outside. If, for some reason, the indicator inside the package cannot be seen, one can be placed on the outside of the package. The wrapped packages or containers are then put into a machine called an autoclave, which exposes them to extreme heat at high pressure. The chemical indicator changes color when exposed to high enough heat to kill germs. Some reusable instruments or dental equipment (like chairs or x-ray machines) cannot go in the autoclave. These instruments and equipment need to be disinfected to reduce germs. Generally, they are soaked in or wiped down with a disinfectant like those used in hospitals. Many instruments used in the dental office are designed to be used more than once. To help keep them free of germs between patients, the dental office has a thorough cleaning routine as part of its procedures. Any instrument that is used in the mouth must be cleaned, inspected, and sterilized or disinfected. Trained staff members thoroughly clean each instrument to remove debris and dry the instrument before it is sterilized to reduce the risk of corrosion (like rust) from forming. After the cleaning stage, the equipment is closely examined to be sure that it is ready for sterilization. During sterilization, the instruments are exposed to high heat for enough time to kill any remaining germs. Instruments or equipment that cannot be heated are wiped down or soaked in a disinfectant that is strong enough to kill most germs.