These wipes provide various disinfection and cleaning options for any dental practice’s infection control and cleaning needs.
As dental professionals, we are constantly investigating ways to make our practices run smoother, especially concerning something as critical as infection control. Given our fast-paced environment, selecting products with broad-spectrum effectiveness and seamless integration into existing workflow is paramount.
Catapult Education convened a panel of expert evaluators, including dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants, as part of our ongoing commitment to enhance dental practice operations through superior products. Below is a detailed report on our collective findings on the efficacy and usability of 6 PDI products in a clinical setting. PDI has been a leader in innovation for infection prevention, providing cutting-edge infection control products for over 40 years.
The Evaluation Process
Twenty-two Catapult dental professionals were involved in the evaluation process. They tested the following PDI products: Sani-Cloth® AF3 Germicidal Disposable Wipes, Super Sani-Cloth® Germicidal Disposable Wipes, Sani-Cloth® Plus Germicidal Disposable Cloth, See Clear® Lens Cleaning Wipes, Easy Screen® Cleaning Wipes, and Sani-Hands® Instant Hand Sanitizing Wipes.
Let’s look at each wipe and its criteria separately:
Super Sani-Cloth Disposable Wipe
These disinfectant wipes are designed to be highly effective, offering bactericidal, virucidal, tuberculocidal, and fungicidal properties with a quick kill time of just 3 minutes. Their broad-spectrum efficacy targets 32 different microorganisms, ensuring comprehensive disinfection across a variety of surfaces. This makes them an essential tool for maintaining hygiene and safety in environments where cleanliness is critical. Additionally, these wipes are registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), providing assurance of their safety and sustainability. With their EPA registration, they meet standards for effectiveness and environmental responsibility.
These intermediate-level disinfectant wipes are effective against 45 microorganisms. They are bactericidal, tuberculocidal, and virucidal, with a kill time of 3 minutes.
Our evaluators highlighted these wipes for their broad-spectrum efficacy and the fact that they are alcohol free and fragrance free. They are ideal to use around patients and staff, especially those with respiratory sensitivity.
Super Sani-Cloth Germicidal Disposable Wipes
These intermediate-level disinfectant wipes are effective against 32 microorganisms. They are considered bactericidal, tuberculocidal, virucidal, and fungicidal.
The panelists appreciated the wipes for their quick microbial kill time of 2 minutes, making them highly suitable for high-turnover environments.
Sani-Cloth Plus Germicidal Disposable Cloth
These are US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)–registered, low-level disinfectant wipes. The bactericidal and virucidal cloths are effective against 18 microorganisms, with a kill time of 3 minutes.
See Clear Lens Cleaning Wipes
These individually wrapped wipes are compatible with glass and polycarbonate lenses, making them safe to use on antireflective, UV, and glare-free coated lenses. They are ideal for disinfecting protective eyewear, reading glasses, and loupes. The dental hygienists in the group praised them highly. The wipes––a particular favorite among some of our evaluators––provide streak-free clarity for optical devices, which is crucial for precision in dental care. Here are some comments from the evaluators: “See Clear wipes are excellent”; “Love these. Patients like them too. RDH and other docs in the practice tried these with the samples sent and now they’re using them regularly”; “Easy to implement into clinical [practice]. [The] packaging allows for easy storage and use.”
Easy Screen Cleaning Wipes
These wipes are made with 70% isopropyl alcohol to remove dirt, grime, fingerprints, and smudges. Our evaluators were enthusiastic about their effectiveness on digital displays. They noted their residue-free finish ensures clean and clear views on the screens that are essential for modern dental diagnostics, making these wipes a huge boon in the age of digital dentistry. Many of us use tablets for patients to update their medical history and sign forms electronically; these wipes are perfect for disinfecting those digital devices around the office. Easy Screen Cleaning Wipes are available in canisters or packets.
Comments from our evaluators included the following: “In the age of digital dentistry, everything comes with a screen, and it is important to be able to disinfect all surfaces. [The] packaging makes it easy and efficient to turn over rooms”; “Exactly what I would hope for in a screen wipe”; “The screen cleaners are amazing. I have been using them for my computers and then for my iPad and phone as well.”
Sani-Hands Instant Hand Sanitizing Wipes
These wipes are ideal for hand hygiene both in and outside the office environment. Formulated with 70% ethyl alcohol, they offer fast and effective disinfection. Testers commended the smooth, residue-free feeling they provide after use. They also appreciated the mechanical removal of debris and the sanitizing component. These wipes come in canisters, portable packages, and single packets, making them ideal to use in public settings to prevent the spread of infection.
Evaluators’ Feedback
PDI wipes offer numerous benefits. They come premoistened and ready to use, which helps minimize waste and streamline processes, saving time. These wipes are EPA registered, ensuring compliance with guidelines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are color coded for simple staff identification and boast large compliance icons for easy recognition. Many have a dual-access lid with a large access design for the fast dispensing of single and multiple wipes. Overall, they are practical and seamlessly fit into workflows.
We asked evaluators how well PDI disinfecting wipes (Sani-Cloth AF3 Germicidal Disposable Wipes, Super Sani-Cloth Germicidal Disposable Wipes, and Sani-Cloth Plus Germicidal Disposable Cloth) met specific needs and challenges within their health care environment. These were some of their responses:
“They’re effective, efficient, and don’t smell as bad as [those of] other competitors.”
“Our practice moves at a quick pace. We need to be able to turn rooms over quickly, and disinfection is a big part of that. We especially like the Super Sani-Cloth due to its effectiveness across many bacteria and the 2-minute disinfection time.”
“Comprehensively meet all needs.”
“The wipes were great—they did not leave streaks like the ones we use now.”
Following the evaluation of PDI disinfecting products, 100% of the survey respondents expressed their intention to integrate PDI wipes into their routine infection protocol and recommend them to a colleague. Among the wipes, Super Sani-Cloth Germicidal Disposable Wipes, See Clear Lens Cleaning Wipes, and Easy Screen Cleaning Wipes received the highest acclaim.
Conclusion
This review isn’t solely about acquiring new tools; it is also about elevating patient care. PDI wipes offer a unique advantage in the realm of infection control with their high-grade antimicrobial properties specifically tailored for different equipment and surfaces. Although the market offers a variety of infection control products, a noticeable gap exists regarding ones that effectively disinfect specific equipment such as screens and loupes. PDI fills this void with well-researched products designed to tackle these areas effectively. What sets the company apart is its versatility. They offer a range of options that cater to different needs and scenarios, making disinfection routines more convenient and efficient. PDI products have become indispensable in our practice, significantly boosting efficiency and patient safety.
After thoroughly evaluating PDI’s range of products, we see clearly that they have made a real difference in our daily routines. My colleagues and I have noticed how using these wipes streamlines our workflow, making the necessary but often tedious task of disinfection quicker and more manageable. I am glad to see these products gain our Catapult Vote of Confidence™.
Download Issue: Dental Products Report September 2024
