State requirement record — California · Last verified Jul 2026
California Dental Sterilization & Spore Testing Requirements (2026)
Here's what California requires for sterilizer monitoring and record retention — verified against the state's primary source — plus what an inspector checks and a free printable log sheet.
Requirement on record
Last verified Jul 2026.
At least weekly
California requires biological (spore) testing of each heat sterilizer at least weekly when scheduled patients are treated.
1 year
California requires sterilization / spore-test records to be retained for at least 1 year.
Cal. Code Regs. tit. 16, § 1005 (Minimum Standards for Infection Control), Dental Board of California
Informational only — not legal advice. Verify current requirements with your state dental board.
§ 01 — Inspection record
What an inspector checks in California
When a California board inspector or surveyor reviews a practice's sterilization records, they're confirming the monitoring actually happened and is documented. Expect them to look for:
- 01A spore-test log showing at least weekly biological monitoring of every heat sterilizer in use.
- 02Records retained for at least 1 year and available on site.
- 03Chemical-indicator results recorded for processed loads, plus mechanical (time/temp/pressure) confirmation.
- 04Documented corrective action for any failed spore test, including retest and instrument recall.
- 05Compliance consistent with Cal. Code Regs. tit. 16, § 1005 (Minimum Standards for Infection Control), Dental Board of California.
§ 02 — Questions of record
California sterilization FAQ
- How often do dental practices in California need to run a spore (biological) test?
- California requires biological (spore) testing of each heat sterilizer at least weekly when scheduled patients are treated.
- How long must California dental offices keep sterilization and spore-test records?
- California requires sterilization / spore-test records to be retained for at least 1 year.
- What regulation governs dental sterilization monitoring in California?
- In California, sterilization monitoring is governed by Cal. Code Regs. tit. 16, § 1005 (Minimum Standards for Infection Control), Dental Board of California. ClaveLog has verified this against the primary source.
- What should a California practice do if a spore test fails?
- Follow the CDC protocol: immediately take the affected sterilizer out of service, review the load, and re-test. Re-process and recall any implicated instruments as directed, document every step with dates and initials, and only return the sterilizer to service after a passing biological test. Keep this corrective-action record with your California sterilization log — inspectors look for it.
Keep your California sterilization records inspector-ready — automatically.
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§ 03 — Cross-reference