Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to implement a dental instrument reprocessing management system based on wireless ICT and RFID technology and evaluate its operational efficiency and applicability in the dental clinical setting. Materials and Methods: For the development of the instrument reprocessing system, hardware components in cluding RFID tags, RFID readers, wireless internet devices, and a central server were integrated with software management programs. Once operational, the system collected information in real-time at each stage of the reprocessing workflow. System performance was evaluated in terms of stability, efficiency, and data accuracy. Results: During pilot operation, the system automatically recorded the reprocessing history of each instrument in chronological order. Functions such as verification of sterilization completion, real-time status monitoring, er ror detection in sterilization, and validity management were successfully implemented. Compared to traditional paper-based recording, instances of missing records and errors were significantly reduced, and rapid traceability was enabled in case of suspected infection events. Conclusion: The RFID-based dental instrument reprocessing management system can overcome limitations in repetitive and complex reprocessing workflows in dental practice, enhance operational efficiency, and provide tangible support for improving infection control standards.(J Korean Dent Assoc 2026; 64(3): 101-110)