DPR Top 100: The Top 5 Infection Control Products of 2023

// Sterilizer

Lexa Plus

This prevacuum, Class B sterilizer is designed to provide more capacity, energy-saving cycles, automatic water filling, and connectivity and traceability options, offering full infection control and protection for dentists and patients. It features a color touch-screen display with an intuitive menu. The unit’s patented Eco Dry + feature adapts the drying time to the mass of the load, increasing efficiency by reducing cycle times, increasing the life span of instruments, and optimizing energy consumption. It features a large 7.4-gal chamber, enabling the Lexa Plus to process up to 16.5 lb of wrapped and 18 lb of unwrapped instruments with its 5-tray rack.

// Gloves

Bio Nitrile Powder Free Biodegradable Examination Gloves

Cranberry Bio Nitrile Powder Free Biodegradable Examination Gloves are designed to meet the growing demand for sustainable, eco-friendly dental products. The nitrile material features an additive that reportedly introduces microbial activity when the gloves are disposed of in a landfill, and up to 90% of the material breaks down in less than 1.5 years. The biodegradable properties do not affect the gloves’ performance, as they pass and exceed ASTM standards for tensile strength and force at break.

// Personal Protective Equipment

CRITERION®

Henry Schein’s long-standing glove-producing brand CRITERION has now expanded into a new arena of personal protective equipment (PPE). CRITERION will now be manufacturing and providing PPE such as eyewear, face masks, and more. As such, CRITERION will now be the go-to brand for all of Henry Schein’s PPE, including masks, jackets, lab coats, and other PPE from its various product lines. CRITERION aims to be cost-effective without sacrificing the quality that dental professionals need for everyday use. New packaging will better clarify sizing and color. Products now slated under the expanded CRITERION brand include Maxima masks and Maxi-Gard garments.

// Cleaning solution

ProEZ Gel Aerosol

ProEZ Gel™ Aerosol is a point-of-use, surgical instrument pretreatment spray that helps prevent the drying of soils on dirty surgical instruments during transport to sterile processing. ProEZ Gel Aerosol has a wide spray pattern, allowing for greater and more uniform coverage. The wider spray also reduces the precision required to completely cover instruments and keep soils moist without having to handle the instruments. Featuring a new and unique bio-generated enzymatic action formula, it is powerful enough for every case and soil, including sticky fats. The aerosol gel has no sticky residue, retains moisture for easy rinsing and fewer applications, and prevents the deposition of 93% of organic protein soil over a 72-hour testing period. The fragrance-free formula allows for a more pleasant user experience. ProEZ Gel Aerosol is the latest edition to the ProEZ family of surgical instrument pretreatment products, which are designed to improve productivity and protect valuable instruments.