Why Dental Practices Should Use Medical Fridges

While medical fridges are used in pharmacies, hospitals and clinics all over the world, they are also widely used in dental practices. In fact, a high-quality medical fridge is an essential piece of equipment in most. Here’s a look at why they are so important.

Dentists Require Suitable Storage for Various Products

Dental surgeries are often required to carry out oral medical emergencies and, as such, they rely on specialist equipment and medical products in order to undertake procedures safely and effectively.

According to the CQC, dentists should have certain drugs and equipment in their surgeries, to be able to deal with medical emergencies. Some of these drugs may require refrigeration in order to function properly and this is where the need for a medical fridge arises.

Why Do Some Drugs Need Refrigeration?

Many drugs are temperature sensitive, meaning that they need to be kept at a certain temperature in order to function properly. For example, many vaccines must be kept within a temperature range of between 2℃ and 8℃.

If they go above or below this temperature range, the vaccines can be irreparably damaged and they must be discarded. This can sometimes lead to a huge financial loss. Therefore, it is essential to store drugs correctly.

Why Specialist Medical Fridges Are Essential

One of the problems with storing drugs at the correct temperature is that some dental practices assume that any refrigerator is suitable. But this is not the case. Standard domestic fridges are designed to store food and drink only – they are not required to provide highly accurate temperature control.

Drugs, however, must be kept within a very specific temperature range. And the only way to achieve this is with a specialist medical fridge.

These fridges are designed to provide much more accurate temperature control and they do this in many ways. They use temperature probes, which monitor the temperature at all times, so that the temperatures do not fluctuate. Also, the best fridges don’t just measure the air temperature, but also the temperature of the actual medicines, in order to provide more precise temperature control.

A good fridge will not only store the drugs within a specific temperature range, it will also alert you if the temperature should go out of range. If the temperature gets too high or too low, an audible alarm will sound. This could be because of something as simple as leaving the fridge door open accidentally – which could be a very costly mistake. 

How to Choose the Right Medical Fridge for Your Dental Practice

There are many medical refrigerators to choose from, so spend some time looking at the options available. You might need a small fridge for a small quantity of drugs, or a larger practice may require a much larger fridge. Many different sizes are available. 

Some dental fridges come with locks for extra security and 24/7 temperature data logging. Some may have an eco-friendly design to reduce your electricity bills.

So, start looking today and make sure all the drugs in your dental practice are being stored safely and securely. Speak to your local advisor