Choosing the right air purifier can be a daunting task. In our practice, we ultimately decided on purchasing the IQ Air due to a combination of efficacy, reputation & price point. However, it was difficult making this decision since a variety of factors come into play. Here are some things to consider when purchasing a system. 

Air Filtration— Some systems utilize HEPA filtration technology while others use UV light technology to aid in filtering the air inside the dental office. Both are effective at improving air quality. 

Air-flow capacity—This represents the amount of air that moves through a system. Some systems will “turn over” the indoor air every hour while other may "turn over" the air every ten minutes. 

Sound— Air purification systems can be very loud. This may impact the dental operatory as you present treatment plans or communicate with your patients. Look for an air purification unit that generates minimal sound. 

Expenses—These systems can break down with time. Consider the costs for replacing a HEPA filter or UV light. Ask each company about the durability of the product & what components require changing. 

Currently, there are two big names that keep coming up in dentistry for air filtration systems: Surgically Clean Air & IQ Air

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I have attached a series of FAQS relevant to dentistry listed in the company brochure. . . 

How much electricity will the SCA unit require? 

• The Cascade White air purifier is equivalent to running 2x60W light bulbs
• The Carbon Granite air purifier has an equivalent energy use less than 2x60W light bulbs.

Will the Surgically Clean Air Purifier alter the temperature off my indoor environment? 

• Not directly as a Surgically Clean Air Purifier has no heating or cooling components. They do however circulate the air within a room which can have some indirect positive effects on indoor air temperature.

How much noise does the Surgically Clean Air make? 

Our unique Sound Dampening Design allows a Surgically Clean Air Purifier to move a large capacity air flow at whisper quiet levels. Approximately, 55dB which is similar to most kitchen dishwashers.

SOUND LEVEL: (Measured at 6ft)

• Low: <45dB (A)
• Medium: <50dB (A)
• High: <55dB (A)

IQ Air is a Swiss company that uses HyperHEPA filtration technology for airborne particle removal. The company claims that the HyperHEPA filtration has been tested by an independent third-party lab and that it can filter 99.5% of harmful ultrafine pollution particles down to 0.003 microns in size. I purchased two units of IQ air w/ a Flex Vac attachment to aid when performing procedures that generate a high level of aerosols. 

The HealthPro Plus is designed with 4 filtration stages. I have included the list of technologies that the company claims to have implement in the IQ Air (Listed on Website)

• Pre Max Micro-Particle Filtration: Eliminates coarse particles like pollen, pet dander, and mold spores.
• V5-Cell Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption & Pelletized Chemisorption: Eliminates volatile organic compounds (the cause of odors) and other harmful chemicals like formaldehyde.
• HyperHEPA Filtration: Eliminates fine and ultrafine particles like bacteria, viruses, and combustion particles
• Option Gas & Odor Filter: It uses a combination of media to help control a wide spectrum of gases and odors: one that adsorbs odors and gases and another that oxidizes the pollutant, resulting in air that is free of odors, gases, and chemicals.

How Often Do I Run The System?

This is another popular question I've seen in a variety of the dental forums. IQ Air has a variety of settings which can increase the level of filtration throughout the day. The IQ Air website claims the following: "Generally, when running the system at speed 6 it will take about 15 minutes to clear 50% of the particles in a 900 square-foot room. A smaller room at the same fan speed would achieve results more quickly. Keep in mind that fan speed and room measurements can affect the length of time to achieve results" ( Excerpt from IQ Air Product FAQs)

I plan on running the unit at the highest level until further guidance comes out regarding how filtrations systems should be used in the dental office setting.

IQAir also provides a special attachment hose that can be placed near a patient during procedures that generate aerosols. This is an awesome way to minimize the aerosols in front of yourself, your assistants & your patient. The Idea is that this hose can be used to more precisely remove any harmful aerosols directly from the source (aka patient's mouth). Currently IQ Air is charging upwards of $1195 for this attachment.  

The company has listed what it can provide for dentists in the IQAir Dental Series. The following information is taken from their webpage. 

• Dental Series Pro: Provides exceptional filtration of aerosol particles, bacteria, viruses, mercury vapor, disinfectant smells, and a wide range of VOCs with a HyperHEPA pre-filter and 5 kg of granular impregnated alumina, activated carbon, and impregnated activated carbon.
• Dental Series Hg: Provides maximum protection against aerosol particles and mercury vapor with specialized mercury filtration.
• HealthPro Plus: Provides maximum infection control of airborne pathogens like bacteria and viruses as small as 0.003 microns along with exceptional filtration of odors, 

Amazon has a variety of HEPA purifiers that are much more affordable then the IQ Air & Surgically Clean Air. However, many of these HEPA filters are only effective at removing particles of .3 microns. Unfortunately, the novel coronavirus can be as small as .06 microns and as large as .14 microns. Accordingly, these HEPA filtration units are not powerful enough to capture as small a particle size as the coronavirus. 

However, this filtration is powerful enough to filter a variety of bacteria & viruses in the air which will make the working environment safer for your team. I have included a list of purifiers below for you to review. 

• Alen BreatheSmart Classic
• Blueair Blue Pure 211+
• Blueair Classic 605
• Honeywell HPA300
• SPT AC-2102