Reviews
Dental Office Safety Protocol
Our Commitment to Safety
We recognize times have changed. Priorities have shifted. Today, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our staff and patients.
With this in mind, we are happy to share the 31 additional steps we are taking to make every visit to our office as safe as possible. These actions are incremental to our normal standards of care that meet or exceed all CDC, OSHA and ADA guidelines for dental practices.
Our goal is to add peace-of-mind to the friendliness and clinical excellence you have come to expect. Of course, this is part of an on-going commitment that will evolve with the times. As always, we welcome the opportunity to answer any of your questions and to address all concerns.
We are in this together, and we will never underestimate the power of a smile!
Advanced Staff Training
Each member of our team has completed additional awareness and prevention programs to enhance their knowledge and preparedness.
Safety Champion
Each day, one person will be designated to guide our commitment to safety. This includes monitoring patient compliance to safety measures, answering questions, ensuring social distancing, and overall monitoring of staff compliance to safety guidelines.
Daily Health Checks of Our Team
No contact temperature checks and a quick set of questions will ensure our team is ready, willing and able to provide safe dental care – every day.
No Handshakes or Hugs
We truly do love our patients. However, we will save our hearty welcomes and goodbyes for a later date when things are “back to normal”.
No Office Tours
We enjoy starting every new patient visit by showing off our amazing practice, but these tours will have to wait for better times.
Personal Hygiene Standards
Along with short hair or hair that is worn up, this means no long fingernails and little jewelry for any team member while in the office. Beards may also interfere with the adherence of mask fit, so they are discouraged.
Change Work Clothes at Work
No disposable gowns should be worn outside. Staff members are encouraged to carefully launder clothing and shower when they get home.
Anti-Microbial Rinse
In addition to recommending patients brush and floss before they visit, we will provide Colgate Peroxyl to rinse their mouths for 60 seconds and reduce germs.
Virtual Waiting Room
We will minimize contact with others, bypass the reception area when possible, and make financial arrangements in the treatment rooms.
Patient Masks/No Patient Gloves Allowed
Minimizing cross-contamination is an important part of our plan. We will ask patients to wear masks in the office and dispose of any outside gloves before they enter.
Sequenced Patient Scheduling
Plain and simple, we are not seeing as many patients. We are allocating more time between visits for coming, going and cleaning.
Pre-Screening of Every Patient
Patients will be pre-screened over the phone before making an appointment and a quick health questionnaire and consent form along with a no-touch temperature check will be completed when patients arrive in the office.
Expanded Patient Appointments
We are offering extended appointments to save patients time and multiple exposures. This allows us to do more dentistry in a single visit.
At-Risk Patient Hours
We have hours dedicated exclusively to our mature and medically-concerned patients which will add peace of mind to their visits.
Tele-dentistry
Some consults and follow-up visits will be handled via secure telephone or email.
Hospital-Grade Sanitizing
Every patient will be asked to thoroughly disinfect their hands before entering the office and before leaving the office.
Social Distancing in Place
Fewer chairs will be in the reception areas, helpful signs and one-way traffic make 6 feet spacing a practical reality. Shifts will be implemented and lunches eliminated for most staff members; others must sit 6 feet apart at lunch and not share food. In some cases, staff members will work at home or outside vendors will process paperwork.
Cleaning After Every Appointment
We are super clean as we thoroughly wipe, sanitize, and disinfect all instruments, equipment and surfaces in the treatment rooms and throughout the office.
Deep Cleaning Every Evening
Along with cleaning and sanitizing during the day, we take things to another level at night with a thorough top-to-bottom scrub down.
CDC-Approved Instrument Sterilization
This is standard procedure at all times, and nothing has changed. Anything that goes near a patient’s mouth is either disposable or heat and pressure cleaned between every use.
N95, KN95 and Level 3 Masks
The smiles of our clinical team will be protected behind double-masking at all times. Front desk staff will wear masks also throughout the day.
Front Desk Masks
Even our friendly administrative team will be wearing masks.
Face Shields
Two masks are not enough. Our clinical team will protect patients and themselves through the use of FDA approved face shields.
Disposable, Protective Gowns and Hats
When appropriate, our team will utilize another layer of protection to minimize the spread or absorption of airborne particles.
Disposable Shoe Coverings
From head to toe, we are doing everything possible to stop the absorption and spread of dangerous particles. This includes covering our shoes.
Advanced Chairside Suction
Whenever possible, we will activate high speed evacuation to minimize aerosol contamination and improve air quality.
Negative Pressure Rooms
We have purchased Jade air purifiers to create the highest level of self-containment and climate control in the treatment rooms and throughout the office.
HEPA Air Filtration
We have purchased Vanguard devices to minimize aerosol contamination and improve air quality.
Isolite HVE System
A feature of our offices for many years, Isolite will assist the dentists and hygienists in providing a clear, germ-free mouth.
No Magazines, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste or Kid Giveaways:
This may make our reception area a little less exciting, but it makes it much safer as well.