Steps we are taking

• We have always complied with strict OSHA-mandated protocols to maintain a highly sterile environment within our office. These guidelines were created to safeguard against the spread of severely contagious diseases such as tuberculosis and measles, and they are equally effective in managing the spread of influenza and coronavirus. Below is a summary of the steps currently in place to ensure patient and employee safety:

• Employee Health Screening: All team members undergo detailed background and health history screenings before commencing employment. In addition, we strictly enforce sick policies that require employees suffering from communicable illnesses to stay home from work until they have clearance by a physician to return and have received supervisor approval. At this time, employees are required to wear masks at all times and/or be positioned behind a sneeze shield. Employees are also having their temperatures monitored daily prior to starting their shift.

• Patient Health Screening: Due to concerns about patient and employee safety, we ask that non-emergency patients experiencing flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and difficulty breathing) and patients that have a known exposure to COVID-19 within the past 14 days reschedule their appointment. We also ask that non-emergency patients with known health risks (65 , pregnancy, lung or heart condition, high blood pressure, diabetes and immunocompromised conditions) understand and acknowledge their risk of not social distancing. Patients will be asked to complete a COVID-19 screening interview and temperature check prior to all visits in accordance with CDC and American Dental Association recommended guidelines.

• Sterilization Procedures: The foundation of our infection control procedures is based on requirements established by the CDC that state that all body fluids are treated as infectious because patients with bloodborne infections can be asymptomatic or unaware that they are infected. This includes body fluids in airborne droplets from coughs or sneezes. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) used in our office, which includes gowns, eye-protective wear with side protection, face shields, masks and gloves are designed to ensure that no blood or body fluids can be passed between staff and patients. These items are washed and disinfected or discarded between patients as necessary to mitigate any patient-to-patient transmission. Strict surface sterilization procedures are followed to clean and disinfect all operatory surfaces between patients, and after each use, all dental instruments are cleaned and heat sterilized in steam autoclave machines in individual sterile pouches.

• Common Area Disinfecting: As a result of the current coronavirus concern, we have taken additional precautions in the common areas. All magazines and pamphlets have been removed. Lobby surfaces and patient restrooms are disinfected every hour. This includes a thorough wipe down of all hard surfaces, such as door handles, doorknobs, tables, chairs and front office counters with hydrogen peroxide disinfectant, a CDC-approved commercial sterilization agent. In addition, patients are being advised to practice social distancing in our building, wait in their cars until after they are screened, wear masks and sanitize hands once inside. According to the CDC, the most important steps we all can take to avoid infection from airborne diseases are frequent hand washing with soap and water and regular cleansing of highly used surfaces with disinfectant. We recommend that all our patients take these basic precautions.

Additional Measures:

• Installation of commercial air scrubbers which filter air, trap pathogens, and utilize UV light to effectively disinfect the air.

• Stand-alone air purification systems have been placed in each operatory and common space.

• Extraoral suction systems will be utilized in aerosol producing procedures to remove as much aerosol from air as possible and/or assistants with high evacuation suction.

• Utilization of Isolights which provides continuous suction to minimize aerosols.

• Enhanced personal protective equipment including use of N95, KN95, and/or Level 3 surgical mask, face shields, gowns and surgical caps.

• Installation of sneeze shields in the front office area.

• Implementation of the strictest protocols to maintain both team and patient safety. 

 

We look forward to seeing all your smiling faces again soon!