What should be done immediately after cleaning dental instruments?

After cleaning dental instruments, the immediate step should be to inspect them for damage. This process is crucial as it ensures that all instruments are in safe working condition before they are sterilized and used on patients. Inspecting for damage allows the dental health professional to identify any instruments that may be broken, contaminated, or otherwise not suitable for use, thus helping to prevent potential harm to patients and maintaining the overall quality of dental care.

While sterilization, packaging, and labeling are important steps that follow the inspection, they should only be performed once the instruments have been checked for integrity and functionality. Ensuring that all instruments are undamaged and clean is the first and most critical step in the preparation for safe dental procedures.