How Ontario dental clinics can prepare for a public health inspection
Inspections feel stressful because they're rare and unpredictable. The fix is to run your clinic so daily compliance and inspection-day compliance are the same thing.
Two weeks before
Walk through the IPAC checklist with your IPAC officer. Pull the binder. Confirm sterilization logs are current, biological monitoring is on schedule, and training records are up to date.
- Confirm IPAC manual reflects current workflow
- Check sterilization & biological monitoring logs
- Verify staff training records are current
One week before
Run a mock walkthrough. Have a hygienist explain the sterilization workflow as if to an inspector. Have an assistant demonstrate operatory turnover. Anywhere the team hesitates is where the inspector will probe.
Day of inspection
Have the IPAC binder ready. Inspectors will ask for documentation in a sequence - be ready to produce sterilization logs, biological monitoring, training records, and the IPAC manual within minutes.
After the inspection
If there are findings, address them with written corrective actions in the timeframe given. Keep documentation of each fix - it's your evidence at the next visit.
More from Prime DMS Insights
All articles- Compliance
AODA compliance for Ontario dental clinics - what's actually required
AODA applies to every dental clinic with at least one employee. The training you must provide, what larger clinics must document, and how to stay compliant.
Read article - IPAC
Biological monitoring and spore testing for dental sterilizers in Ontario
How often to run biological (spore) tests, the three types of sterilizer monitoring, and exactly what to do when a spore test fails.
Read article - IPAC
How to become a designated IPAC officer for an Ontario dental clinic
Who qualifies as a designated IPAC officer, the training required, and the year-round responsibilities of the role in an Ontario dental clinic.
Read article
Want help applying this to your clinic?
Book a free consultation. We'll walk through your IPAC, training, or staffing needs and recommend next steps.