Your Appointment
You will see some changes when it is time for your next appointment at our office! These precautions will help us ensure the protect our patients and staff. We appreciate your cooperation, and look forward to providing you the safest dental care experience possible.
- We will reach out to you beforehand to ask some pre-screening health questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you arrive at the office. You can fill out the pre-screening questionnaire prior to your appointment. Pre-screening Quesionnaire
- We may ask you to wait in your vehicle and text us when you arrive for your appointment. We can digitally register you and update medical history include pre-screen questionnaire.
- We ask that you wear as mask or face covering of some kind to keep us safe. Our masks protect you, your mask will protect our team.
- We will take temperature of all staff and patients before they enter the office as a precaution.
- We have hand sanitizer that you will need to use when you enter the office. Sanitizer will be available in additional locations around office for you to use as needed.
- Our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
- We will be encouraging all patients to pay online. We can dramatically reduce risk by doing that digitally.
- Appointments will be staggered to allow for social distancing between patients.
- We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the office at any one time.
Infection Control Methods and Precautions
While many things have changed for us, one thing remains the same: our commitment to your safety. Infection control has always been a top priority in our practice. Our infection control protocols and systems are designed to provide dental care that is safe, efficient, and comfortable.
In our practice, we follow infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We regularly monitor activities of these agencies and keep up-to-date on all new rulings or guidance that may be issued. The infection control procedures in our office are current and adhere to each of these safety recommendations.
- Incorporated Covid-19 standard PPE into our clinical systems and protocols including N95 masks, face shields, gloves and new outer lab coats that are changed between patients.
- Utilizing state of the art medical grade sterilization equipment and protocols.
- One time use protocols and complete disinfection of treatment rooms between each patient are standard in our office.
- Expanded 900 sq ft waiting areas, including outside deck waiting room, for 10 ft distancing at all times.
- Requirements that patients come into the office wearing masks
- Braun temporal temperature scanning on every patient, every time.
- We will be taking Masimo MightySat Pulse Oximetry readings, every patient every time, to be alert for possible silent hypoxia in patients, which appears to be a real concern.
- “Dry Shield” Intraoral high speed suction that helps support the jaw open and removes 80-90% of aerosols.
- ADS Extraoral Suction Units: capture residual aerosols by providing high volume suction 6-8 inches from the mouth. Uses HEPA filters plus UV internal radiation to kill all viruses.
- Hyper-HEPA .01 micron air purifiers in each operatory, electrostatic air purifiers throughout the entire office.
- Third party monthly outside verification that sterilization equipment is working properly.
- Patient “pre-rinse” with high alcohol Listerine for one full minute prior to care.
- CEREC Primescan to avoid use of messy impression materials wherever possible.
- CEREC “one visit” milling of porcelain restorations to minimize office visits.
- Pre-payment options to avoid having to use physical credit cards in the office.
- Early 7am, morning, evening, and Saturday appointments for greater patient convenience.
We are grateful to have you as a patient in our practice. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to establishing a new normal in our practice. The CDC actually recognized the infection controls methods in a dental office actually make safer than many of the places you might visit like a store, pharmacy, or restaurant for take out pick up. If you have any questions or concerns please ask us in the office when you are here, or give us a call any time at 508.812.0300!
