A study on dental instrument reprocessing management system based on wireless ICT and RFID technology

An, So-Youn; Lim, Hwoa-Seob; Lee, Eui-Seok; Kim, Sung-Hyun; Choi, Hye-Sook

doi:2026.64.3.101

J Korean Dent Assoc > Volume 64(3); 2026 > Article

Original Article

Journal of Korean Dental Association 2026;64(3):101-110.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22974/jkda.2026.64.3.005 Published online March 31, 2026.

A study on dental instrument reprocessing management system based on wireless ICT and RFID technology

So-Youn An¹

¹Department of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Wonkwang University, Daejeon, Korea
²FPMed Healthcare Corporation, Wonju, Korea
³Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sugary, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea
⁴Yonsei Gounmiso Dental Clinic, Seongnam, Korea
⁵Department of Dental Technology, Kyungdong University, Wonju, Korea

Correspondence: Hye-Sook Choi, Tel: +82-33-738-1304,
Email: chs@kduniv.ac.kr

Received: 31 December 2025 • Revised: 3 February 2026 • Accepted: 25 February 2026

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 including 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, error 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.

Key Words: Radio Frequency Identification Device; Dental Instruments; Wireless Technology; Sterilization; Infection Control