We contact all patients prior to dental treatment.
We request that you limit the number of visitors accompanying the patient to the dental appointment to only those who are necessary.
It is advised that the patient and anyone accompanying the patient wear a cloth face covering or a face mask when entering the facility and undergo a screening for fever and symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
We ask that masks stay on throughout the dental appointment. If masks need removal for treatment, it is recommended to re-mask after the completion of the dental care.
Our Office
We are taking steps to ensure all patients and staff adhere to respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette, as well as hand hygiene, and all patients follow triage procedures throughout the duration of the visit.
Provided are supplies for respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette, including alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) with 60-95% alcohol, tissues, and no-touch receptacles for disposal throughout the office.
If 2 or more families are present at the same time, we ask they maintain 6 feet apart from one another. To limit this, we are avoiding the overlapping of scheduling.
Toys, magazines, and other frequently touched objects that cannot be regularly cleaned of disinfected have been removed from the waiting area.
Parents may opt to wait in their personal vehicle or outside the dental facility where they can be contacted by mobile phone when it is their turn for dental care.
Administrative Controls and Work Practices
We limit patient care to one patient at a time whenever possible.
Operatories are set up so that only the clean or sterile supplies and instruments needed for the dental procedure are readily accessible. All other supplies and instruments will be in covered storage, such as drawers and cabinets, and away from potential contamination. Any supplies and equipment that is exposed but not used during the procedure will be considered contaminated and will be disposed of or re-processed properly after completion of the procedure.
We avoid aerosol-generating procedures whenever possible. We also avoid the use of dental hand-pieces and the air/water syringe, if possible. We prioritize minimally invasive/atraumatic restorative techniques (hand instruments only).
If aerosol-generating procedures are necessary for dental care, we use four-handed dentistry, high-level evacuation suction and dental dams to minimize droplet spatter and aerosols
We use precaution with 60-95% alcohol or wash hands with soap and water for at least 30 seconds before and after dental care.
We ensure that hygiene supplies are readily available to all areas of the office.
Before and after all patient contact, contact with potentially infectious material, and before putting on and after removing personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, proper hand hygiene is preformed. Hand hygiene after removing PPE is particularity important to remove any pathogens that might have been transferred to bare hands.
Universal Source Control
We ALWAYS wear cloth face coverings or face masks for the safety of ourselves and others.
Personal Protective Equipment
We ensure that any reusable PPE is properly cleaned, decontaminated, and maintained after and between uses.
During aerosol-generating procedures conducted on patients assumed to be non-contagious, we use an N95 respirator* or a respirator that offers a higher level of protection such as other disposable filtering face-piece respirators, PARPs, or elastomeric respirators, if available. If a surgical mask and a full-face shield are no available, we do not perform any aerosol-generating procedures.
