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.
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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.