What's in Your Water? A Guide to Dental Waterline Safety-What’s in Your Water? A Guide to Dental Waterline Safety

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar, “What’s in Your Water? A Guide to Dental Waterline Safety,” featured Dr. David A. Resnick discussing the risks of contaminated dental unit waterlines and how to manage them safely. He explained that waterlines can develop biofilm quickly—sometimes within 72 hours—allowing harmful microbes such as Pseudomonas, Legionella, and nontuberculous Mycobacterium abscessus to multiply. He emphasized that clean source water does not guarantee safe water at the chair because contamination occurs inside the tubing.<br /><br />Dr. Resnick reviewed several outbreak cases tied to dental care, especially pediatric pulpotomy procedures, including outbreaks in Georgia and California that led to serious infections, bone damage, lymph node removal, hearing loss from treatment, and in some cases long-term complications. He stressed that these incidents are preventable with proper infection control.<br /><br />Key recommendations included: assigning a trained infection control coordinator, testing water regularly, maintaining written logs, using EPA-registered dental waterline treatment products, and shocking lines when tests fail or after disruptions such as repairs, closures, or water advisories. He noted that routine flushing alone is not enough to control biofilm, though short flushes after each patient are still recommended.<br /><br />He also reviewed state rules in Georgia and Washington requiring quarterly testing and recordkeeping, and encouraged practices to follow manufacturer instructions for all equipment. In the Q&A, he clarified that the tubing, not just the tip material, is the main concern, and said he uses a continuous treatment system plus periodic shock treatment.

Asset Caption

Description Dental waterlines have long been a safety concern for patients and staff. It’s time to ramp up the visibility and education to make every dental visit a safe one. It’s not your water—it’s your waterlines. Waterlines commonly harbor harmful microorganisms. Patients and staff can become infected via procedural water and aerosols. Proper dental unit waterline (DUWL) management with compatible products is key to prevention and optimal waterline safety. Learning Objectives Learn why safe dental procedural water matters and about the biofilm problem that exists in all waterlines. Facilitate a proficient safe water protocol that includes the three must-haves for safe dental water management. Establish a trained infection control coordinator to champion waterline safety for the practice. Ensure DUWL protocol effectiveness through routine waterline testing. Speaker Bio David A. Reznik, DDS, FICD, is a graduate of Emory College and Emory University School of Dentistry. Reznik is the founder of the Oral Health Center of Grady HealthSystem’s Infectious Disease Program and serves as chief of the dental medicine service. He was the recipient of the Association for Dental Safety’s 2021 Dr. James J. Crawford Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2022, Reznik was appointed to the Georgia Board of Dentistry and inducted into the International College of Dentistry. In 2025, Reznik was elected to serve as president of the Georgia Board of Dentistry. Additional Information This webinar is sponsored by Solmetex.

Keywords

dental waterline safety

biofilm contamination

dental unit waterlines

infection control

water testing

EPA-registered treatment products

pediatric pulpotomy outbreaks

Legionella

Pseudomonas

quarterly recordkeeping