Protect Your Patients
Protect Your Practice
Understand Georgia’s new Dental Unit Water Testing ruling from the GA Board of Dentistry and your options for easy, secure, streamlined compliance.
Understanding Your Water Testing Options
There are three major forms of dental unit water line testing available on the market today. To meet the Rule 150-8-.05 Dental Unit Water Testing (which went into effect July 20, 2025) you’ll need to choose between these options. We’ve summarized the advantages and drawbacks of each method below, but you can read more about this on our FAQ page.
Paddle Tests
Quick In-Office Screening
Paddle testing allows samples to be incubated at room temperature in your office for 48-72 hours. While convenient, this method has significant limitations that can affect reliability.
Benefits
- Cheapest testing method available
- Can be completed in-house
Limitations
- Testing and reporting are the most prone to error and inconsistencies
- Staff training (and retraining, after turnover) and testing take valuable time away from your team
- Room temperature incubation misses body-temp bacteria and only provides rough colony forming unit (CFUs) range
- Results can vary based on technique
R2A Agar Tests
The Gold Standard for 20+ Years
R2A tests analyze water samples for 120 hours at the human body temperature.
Benefits
- R2A has been the gold-standard for water testing since 1979
- Catches slow-growing bacteria that form after other tests are complete
- The only EPA-approved method for dental water testing
- Testing is completed by trained microbiologists
Limitations
- Final results take 120 hours **
**DentiSafe uses R2A testing with our FASTRead TM feature that provides an early notification (within the first 24 hours of testing) if there’s a clear sign of bacterial contamination.
Flow Cytometry
Fast But Limited
Flow Cytometry was designed for cancer research to analyze blood and bodily fluids, but is now being used in the water testing industry.
Benefits
- Quick results – can be performed in 24 hours
Limitations
- Estimates the total amount of bacteria, (live, injured, and dead)
- Uses mathematical formulas, not direct counts
- Designed for blood/fluid analysis, not water
Why EPA Certification Matters
DentiSafe is proud to be the only EPA-Certified independent testing lab serving the dental industry. We pursued and maintain this certification because we know it’s the safest established standard for water testing available. We were founded by a practicing dentist, for dentists. Our customers count on DentiSafe’s certification for three reasons.
- Legal Protection: “EPA certification provides the strongest legal defense should waterline contamination ever become an issue in your practice.”
- Scientific Accuracy: “Our certified microbiologists follow strict EPA protocols, ensuring your results are accurate and reliable.”
- Patient Safety: “EPA-certified testing gives you confidence that your water quality meets the highest safety standards for patient care.”
Get A Free Copy of Our Water Testing Protocol Now
As you and your office are reviewing and updating your dental water testing processes and documentation, review our free water testing protocol.
Choose Your Testing Solution
Flexible options designed for Georgia dental practices of all sizes
Individual Test Kits
Perfect for practices wanting to test on-demand or trying our service for the first time.
Features
- R2A Agar EPA-certified testing
- Results within 7 days AND a FASTRead TM early notification (in the first 24 hours) if your sample is likely to fail
- Free overnight shipping included
- Confidential, secure reporting and record keeping in your client portal
Annual Testing Subscription
An easy way to stay compliant year-round with automatic quarterly testing and priority support.
Features
- Everything included with our individual kits
- Quarterly testing schedule
- Automatic kit delivery
- Dedicated account management
- Compliance tracking dashboard
- Discounted pricing
Custom Solutions
Multi-location practices and dental schools can benefit from customized testing programs.
Features
- Tailored testing schedules
- Volume pricing discounts
- Multi-location coordination
- Educational support
- Custom reporting formats
Ready to Protect Your Georgia Practice?
We’re here for you, so that you can be there for your patients.
Whether you are an educator in the dental field, a small family-owned dental practice, a large multi-chair practice, a DSO, or something in between, it is our mission and joy to serve you and your community in the dental space.