What's up with your waterlines?

We would like to hear about your knowledge of and experiences with waterline maintenance in the dental practice. We will use the survey results to create a helpful report for the dental profession, but your responses will always remain anonymous. This survey is for dentists, dental hygienists, and assistants currently practicing clinically.

As always, thank you for your time and your help in advancing this remarkable profession!

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* 1. Are you currently practicing clinically?

Yes

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* 2. Which best describes your clinical role?

Dentist

Dental hygienist

Dental assistant

Other (please specify)

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* 3. The office(s) where I work use recommendations from manufacturers and industry leaders such as the ADA, CDC, OSAP for waterline maintenance.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

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* 4. Maintaining dental unit waterlines is important to patient and provider safety.

Strongly agree

Agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

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* 5. The dentist and/or practice owner where I work is committed to waterline safety.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

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* 6. What are some challenges you face when implementing waterline safety in your office? Select all that apply.

I am unsure how to maintain our waterlines, or find supportive resources.

There is a lack of staff support or consideration for waterline maintenance.

Office leadership is concerned with the costs associated with waterline maintenance products and testing.

Office leadership believes that untreated water is acceptable for patient treatment.

No one is responsible for maintaining and testing waterlines.

Waterline maintenance is not my responsibility.

If you don't face any challenges, please specify why. We'd like to understand why this process is going well for you.

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* 7. How often are you testing waterlines?

Weekly

Monthly

Every other month

Quarterly

Every six months

Yearly

Not at all

Other (please specify)

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* 8. If you are currently testing and/or treating your waterlines, are you documenting? Select all that apply.

Maintenance

Test results

Failed test remediation

Training

Not currently documenting

Other (please specify)

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* 9. What type of treatment product are you using, if any? Select all that apply.

Daily maintenance tablet

In-bottle straw

Daily maintenance liquid

Periodic liquid shock

Periodic shock tablet

Inline cartridge

I am not using any treatment product

Other (please specify)

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* 10. Are you failing waterline testing even following use of a shock treatment? (This is not uncommon.)

Yes

Not applicable to me

Other (please specify)

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* 11. How is staff being trained/retrained on the waterline testing/treatment protocol in the office? Select all that apply.

No regular educational training or re-training is provided

Train new hires only

Train all staff responsible for waterline maintenance only when a new waterline test or treatment product is brought into the office

Only re-train after failed waterline test

Staff is trained/re-trained on a quarterly basis

Staff is trained/re-trained annually

Other (please specify)

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* 12. Does your office advertise your waterline maintenance procedures to patients?

Yes

Not sure

Other (please specify)

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* 13. Do patients ask if/how their treatment water is maintained?

Yes

Not sure

Other (please specify)

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* 14. How do you obtain information regarding waterline testing, maintenance, and safety? Select all that apply.

ADA

Manufacturer

OSAP

CDC

Colleagues

Professional publications (e.g., RDH, Dimensions, etc)

Google

Other (please specify)

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* 15. How many clusters of dental-associated infections have been linked to waterlines since 2015?

None

5 or more

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* 16. How many years have you been a practicing clinician?

0-5 years

6-10 years

11-15 years

16-20 years

21-25 years

26-30 years

31-35 years

35 years or greater

I am currently a student

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* 17. Which best describes your practice settings? Select all that apply.

Private practice

Independent practice

Group practice

Orthodontics

Periodontics

Other (please specify)

What's up with your waterlines?

Question Title

* 1. Are you currently practicing clinically?

Question Title

* 2. Which best describes your clinical role?

Question Title

* 3. The office(s) where I work use recommendations from manufacturers and industry leaders such as the ADA, CDC, OSAP for waterline maintenance.

Question Title

* 4. Maintaining dental unit waterlines is important to patient and provider safety.

Question Title

* 5. The dentist and/or practice owner where I work is committed to waterline safety.

Question Title

* 6. What are some challenges you face when implementing waterline safety in your office? Select all that apply.

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* 7. How often are you testing waterlines?

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* 8. If you are currently testing and/or treating your waterlines, are you documenting? Select all that apply.

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* 9. What type of treatment product are you using, if any? Select all that apply.

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* 10. Are you failing waterline testing even following use of a shock treatment? (This is not uncommon.)

Question Title

* 11. How is staff being trained/retrained on the waterline testing/treatment protocol in the office? Select all that apply.

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* 12. Does your office advertise your waterline maintenance procedures to patients?

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* 13. Do patients ask if/how their treatment water is maintained?

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* 14. How do you obtain information regarding waterline testing, maintenance, and safety? Select all that apply.

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* 15. How many clusters of dental-associated infections have been linked to waterlines since 2015?

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* 16. How many years have you been a practicing clinician?

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* 17. Which best describes your practice settings? Select all that apply.

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* 18. Is there anything else you'd like to share with us regarding your experiences with or questions about waterline maintenance?