Sure-Check Pouches are the first to confirm all 3 sterilization criteria mandated by the CDC.

When asked for her opinion of Crosstex Sure-Check Sterilization Pouches, a dental assistant who rated all features as excellent said, “It’s a great product overall. We have already switched and are using this brand!”

Sure-Check Sterilization Pouches with built-in internal/external multi-parameter steam sterilization indicators are the first pouches to confirm not just temperature, but all 3 sterilization criteria (time, temperature, steam), in accordance with CDC guidelines. In comparison to traditional pouches with a Class 1 process indicator that measures only temperature.

The 12 dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants who participated in this Dental Product Shopper review evaluated features such as assurance of sterility, ease of use, and pouch strength.

Assurance of Sterility

Manufacturer Description: When used in conjunction with weekly biological monitoring, Sure-Check Pouches provide the highest level of sterility assurance. Sure-Check pouches meet CDC guidelines for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008; meet ANSI/AAMI ST79 Comprehensive guide to steam sterilization and assurance in HealthCare Facilities; and are certified by laboratory tests to validate that the indicators require time, temperature, and sterilant contact to change color indicating that sterilization parameters were reached.

Evaluator Feedback: Described by 100% of the evaluators as “very important” when selecting sterilization pouches, peace of mind with respect to sterility assurance was rated as excellent by 10 evaluators and as very good by 2. “Overall, [it] covers all grounds,” said a dentist who rated all features as excellent. A hygienist who also gave all features a rating of excellent, noted, “[It] fit right into our current process.” Staff satisfaction was rated as excellent or very good by 11 evaluators, with most (8) rating it as excellent

Comments about ease of reading the indicators included, “It’s easy to see that [instruments have] been sterilized,” and, “The sterilization indicators were easy to read.” A hygienist who rated all features as excellent identified, “the obvious color change [and] clearly visible results” asone of the features she liked most. Ten evaluators rated ease of reading the indicators as excellent.

Crosstex Sure-Check evaluation score

Ease of Use

Manufacturer Description: Crosstex was the first company to manufacture a single-step process built into the sterilization pouch with patent-pending multi-parameter internal and external multi-variable indicators—eliminating the need for, and additional cost of, the separate multi-parameter strip.

Sure-Check maximizes both economy and convenience by eliminating the extra step of adding separate multi-parameter indicators to each pouch. Sure-Check steam indicators start out light pink and change to dark brown when sterilization parameters are met, making it easy for users to read results.

Evaluator Feedback: Seventy-five percent of evaluators described ease of use as a “very important” consideration when selecting sterilization pouches. With comments such as, “The pouches were easy to open,” and, “It was easy to load and remove instruments,” 9 evaluators rated ease of use (sealing and opening) as excellent and the remaining 3 rated it as very good. One evaluator commented, “The self-adhesive covers were consistently easy to remove, even when damp.”

“The strips were easily removed while wearing gloves,” said a dental assistant who rated all features as excellent. The same evaluator, who said she would definitely purchase Sure-Check and recommend it to colleagues, added, “Instruments come out of the autoclave dry!”

Crosstex Sure-Check evaluation headshots

Pouch Strength/Durability

Manufacturer Description: Sure-Check pouches have a strong adhesive and are made to stand up to sterilization and handling without breakage.

Evaluator Feedback: The strength/durability of the pouches was rated as excellent or very good by all 12 evaluators. “[The pouches] didn’t break with any moisture,” noted a hygienist with 38 years of experience, who rated all features as excellent.”

“We immediately noticed the much higher quality of the pouches in comparison to our usual brand,” noted a dentist who called Sure-Check much better than similar products. This same evaluators went on to say, “The staff likes the clear plastic, strong adhesive, the seals on the long side, and the overall robustness of the pouches. They said they were stronger and thicker than [the pouches] they’re used to.”

Overall Satisfaction

Eleven evaluators said they would definitely or probably purchase Sure-Check and recommend it to colleagues. Overall satisfaction was rated as excellent by 9 evaluators and as very good by the remaining 3. “Great product overall,” said one of 7 evaluators who rated all features as excellent. “We have already switched and are using this brand!”

Sterilization products