SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE DUE TO COVID-19:
Your health and well-being are our highest priority. We have carefully planned and revised our office procedures to greatly minimize the risk of infection for our patients, as well as the staff.
For your peace of mind, the measures we are taking to provide a safe dental treatment experience include but are not limited to the following:
In the office
- A system has been installed as part of the HVAC unit that uses reflective electromagnetic technology. It sends out ionized hydroperoxides into the air, attacking microbes like bacteria, viruses and mold spores. It uses ultraviolet light to purify surfaces and the air inside the office.
- An extraoral dental suction system has been installed to assist with eliminating any droplets and aerosols produced from treatment, helping defend against cross-infection to our team and eliminate airborne bacteria and viruses. It features a filtration system with HEPA technology and a built-in UV light to kill bacteria and viruses as well.
Scheduling
- Hygiene days are kept separate from treatment days for a more efficient system. Two hygienists will be working simultaneously so only two patients will be in the office at a time (staggered in scheduling). This may be more convenient for those who schedule a whole family at a time.
- Finally, on treatment days, the patient being seen for any lengthy treatment will not have any interruptions, as they will be the only patient being seen for treatment. This makes for a more efficient appointment.
What to expect prior to scheduling or upon arrival
We are asking all patients the following prescreening questions:
- Are you currently experiencing a fever, shortness of breath, sore throat or persistent cough?
- Have you traveled out of the country in the last two weeks?
- Have you been in direct contact with anyone confirmed to have COVID-19?
If the answer is yes to any of those questions, we are asking patients to schedule or reschedule to at least two weeks later. Upon entering the office, temperatures will be checked. Any patient showing signs of a fever or other symptoms of illness will be asked to reschedule their appointment. Patients can wait in their cars IF THEY CHOOSE until their scheduled appointment time. We can text you or vice versa. We ask that you practice social distancing measures if you choose to wait in the waiting room or in the front desk area. We will be scheduling in a manner to support social distancing, so being in the waiting room should not be an issue.
We are requesting that you limit accompanying visitors to your appointment. We will be asking each patient to rinse with a peroxide rinse before their teeth cleaning or any treatment. Coronavirus is vulnerable to oxidation; this will reduce the salivary load of oral microbes.
The doctor and staff will be washing their hands upon entering the office and continue washing hands and using hand sanitizer between patients throughout the day. Personal protective equipment will be used appropriately. If there is any question about the health of any staff member, they will be asked to stay home.
We will continue to be diligent to abide by the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Dental Association® (ADA) in regard to personal protective equipment and office sterilization. We are proceeding with an abundance of caution, but we want you to feel as confident as we do that any visit you make to our office will be a safe one. We look forward to seeing you soon!