New Requirements in Everyday Clinical Practice
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered daily life at the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Malta. Starting in March 2020, the faculty administration reorganized clinical procedures to prepare for the resumption of clinical instruction with students.
A key objective was to reduce potential exposure risks. This applied particularly to students at various stages of their training.
Extraoral suction during aerosol-generating procedures
Following discussions and based on regulatory guidelines, the faculty introduced extraoral suction devices from TBH. The devices are used during aerosol-generating procedures. The goal was clear: to capture aerosol residues directly at the source.
TBH clearly defines the use of these devices in a medical setting. The systems are not sold there as medical devices, but as accessories for extracting air directly during laser procedures on patients; there is no patient contact.
What stood out in everyday use
The customer testimonial highlights several points that are important in daily clinical practice. The devices are powerful. At the same time, they remain comparatively quiet. Operation is also simple. This helped the team and the students in their daily work.
Another positive aspect was that the devices support workflow at the treatment station. According to feedback, they helped the students maintain better posture. Cleaning after each patient could also be easily integrated into the workflow. Maintenance requirements remained low.
The TBH documentation on the medical environment also emphasizes that spot-specific cleaning can reduce the cleaning effort and that a structured filter change is part of the hygiene concept.
Customer Testimonial from the University of Malta
“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many changes in our daily operations at the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Malta. Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the faculty administration has begun reorganizing our clinical protocols to be prepared for the resumption of clinical courses with our students.
One of our main concerns was to reduce potential exposure risks for our students, who are at various stages of their training. Following discussions and on the recommendation of health authorities, the faculty introduced TBH’s extraoral suction devices, which are to be used during all aerosol-generating procedures. The goal was to capture all aerosol residues generated during dental procedures directly at the source. We have found the devices to be very effective in many ways—they are very powerful without generating excessive noise. In fact, a high-speed handpiece makes more noise than the TBH devices. They are also very easy to use. Another benefit we observed in the clinics was that the device helped students maintain proper posture during dental treatments, as the TBH device prevents poor posture. Patients of all ages have no objections to the device, and some have even noted that it made them feel safer. The dental assistants believe that the devices not only provide safety for students and patients but also for themselves as part of the dental team. They require minimal maintenance and are easy to clean after each patient. The filters are replaced weekly to ensure maximum efficiency.
In summary, we are very satisfied with the TBH devices and highly recommend them for dental practices.”
The statement is from Prof. Nikolai Attard, Head, Department of Oral Rehabilitation and Community Care, Faculty of Dental Surgery, University of Malta.
Conclusion
The feedback from Malta highlights what matters in sensitive environments. Key factors include ease of use, seamless integration into daily practice, and precise capture during aerosol-generating procedures.
Would you like to know which filter and suction solution is right for your application? Then contact TBH.
Note: This testimonial dates from 2020 and was previously published on our website. It has been edited for the blog.