Our dental dipslides / samplers test for a heterotrophic plate count. They are ideal for testing DUWLs as they are sensitive tests that are specifically recommended for this purpose. Dental Dipslides / HPC Samplers Dental practices often conduct regular testing of their dental unit waterlines in order to maintain low levels of microbial concentrations in their systems. These tests are more sensitive than our standard dipslide tests and no incubator is required. When testing dental waterlines, low microbial target values are preferable. Standard dipslide tests are not sensitive enough to detect lower microbial counts and therefore, these HPC tests are much more suitable for DUWL testing. In an independent study, these tests were compared with a reference laboratory method and no microbiologically significant difference was found between the two testing methods. These dental dipslides are quantitative, heterotrophic plate count samplers / testers with membrane filtration. Water samples tested using Heterotrophic Plate Count agar generally grows an increased number of colonies. It detects slower growing species (e.g bacteria stressed by chlorine, heat or starvation) unlike nutrient rich agars that can suppress them. These dipslides feature m-HPC culture media for the growth of oxygen requiring / tolerant bacteria. These samplers will recover healthy and stressed micro-organisms. HPC samplers are ideal for samples where the micro-organism concentration is between 1 & 300 cfu/ml. This makes the samplers suitable for testing dental waterlines where the microbiological concentration limit guidelines are low (e.g 100-200 cfu/ml). Bacteria, yeasts and moulds will grow with differing appearances: Bacteria: colourless, cream, light yellow colonies. Translucent or transparent, circular or irregularly shaped. Mould colonies: Fuzzy, whitish grey. Yeast colonies: Opaque, satiny white or green colonies. Please note these samplers are for liquid testing only. Example DUWL hygiene monitoring program The below is an example. Guidelines vary depending on location so please always consult the authority in your area for recommendations regarding testing frequency etc. Water lines Test Regime Unit Inlet Water or water source used for reservoir bottle Standard - once per quarter Relaxed - once per year Tightened - once per week Water from reservoir bottle Standard - once per month Relaxed - once per quarter Tightened - once per week 3-in-1 syringe water, High Speed Drill, Low Speed Drill Standard - once per week Relaxed - once per month Tightened - 3 times per week How to use Dental Dipslides / HPC Samplers Collect Sample Collect a sample in the 18ml sample chamber (fill up to the marked line). Drop the Dental HPC Sampler into the chamber Drop paddle into sample solution and close the paddle within the chamber. Lay the Dental HPC Sampler down Lay the sampler down on its side with the filter side facing down for 30 seconds. The pad on the paddle will absorb 1ml of liquid sample. Empty Chamber Empty the tester, discarding the sample liquid. Shake the paddle and chamber vigorously to remove excess sample droplets. Incubate Dental HPC Sampler Place the paddle back within the chamber ensuring a tight seal. Lay sampler device down on its side again (with filter side facing down). Leave paddle to 'incubate' at room temperature. Healthy bacteria will appear in 48-72 hours and stressed bacteria in up to one week. Count the colonies Count the dots (colonies) and compare with the chart provided. Reading the Dental HPC sampler results Colony Count 10 30 100 Example Image If you require a record sheet for your DUWL dipslide / sampler test results, you can order our free editable excel record sheet here: Order Free Dental Record Sheet How often should dental dipslides be used for testing DUWLs? Most practices use dipslides / HPC samplers to test their DUWLS (dental unit waterlines) quarterly or more frequently but we always suggest contacting the appropriate local regulatory body for advise on how often to perform tests. A regular testing program will keep your practice on top of any potential microbiological contamination problems. Using HPC samplers is a good way of monitoring water quality and can help you quickly assess if you have any microbiological contamination. You can then action an appropriate response. If TVC testing is undertaken, the Department of Health recommends that 'the TVC should be expected to lie in the range of 100 to 200 colony forming units per millilitre (cfu/ml)'. Potable / drinking water standards in the UK recommend 100 cfu/ml as an upper limit so considering both of these guidelines, having DUWL colony counts below 100 cfu/ml is preferable. Due to the extra sensitivity of these HPC samplers, each colony equates to 1 cfu/ml so if you count 100 colonies, this equals 100
About Dip Slides:
Your destination for high quality dip slides (manufactured in the UK). We only sell dip slides and dipslide incubators, allowing us to specialise in providing you with quality products you can rely on. We offer discounts on volume orders and can ship worldwide with rapid delivery times
Visit Product Page
