Our practice has always been one that looks toward the future, which means as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and people begin to resume their regular routines, we have already developed and implemented a system that’s designed to keep you and your loved ones safe so you can enjoy peace of mind during your dental appointments. We’re eager to help your life get back to normal while also not forgetting about everything that’s happened over the past few months!
Since the beginning, our practice has followed and exceeded the infection control measures put forth by the American Dental Association (ADA), Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), as well as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) when it comes to our instruments, office, and uniforms. We pay close attention to the guidelines set by these organizations so we can change and evolve as they do. The next time you come to see us, you may notice that your dental experience is a little different, but you can trust that it’s all because we want to keep your safety our top priority.
Every appointment will be scheduled online or over the phone, during which our team will ask a patient additional screening questions to see if they have any indicative symptoms, and they will be asked again when arriving at the office. Each patient will receive infrared temperature checks before entering our office as an additional precautionary measure.
Every patient will kindly be asked to use hand sanitizer when entering our office, and it will be readily available in the waiting room and throughout our practice so everyone (including our team) can have on demand access to sanitized hands!
In addition to sanitizing our waiting area more frequently than before the pandemic, it will also no longer have any magazines, children’s toys, and other hold-able items. These are difficult to disinfect, and eliminating them drastically reduces the chances of the virus accidentally transmitting to someone’s hands.
We will schedule our patients in a way that allows everyone to follow social distancing guidelines. In other words, you won’t spend time in a crowded waiting room before your appointment! Everyone will be spaced out so there is plenty of room and time between patients. This may reduce the options you have for scheduling appointments, but its’ the right decision for the community’s overall health.
Although it may feel like a completely different world now, you can still rely on our practice to provide comfortable, effective dental care for your entire family, and you can trust that we’re doing everything we can to ensure everyone stays healthy and has plenty of reasons to smile. We look forward to seeing you in person again, and if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us either by phone or sending us an email.
Each member of our team has completed additional awareness and prevention programs to enhance their knowledge and preparedness.
Each day, one person will be designated to guide our Commitment to Safety. This includes greeting patients, answering questions, ensuring social distancing, and overall monitoring.
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.
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".
We enjoy starting every new patient visit by showing off our amazing practice. These tours will have to wait for your next visit.
Along with short hair or hair that is worn up; this means no long fingernails, no jewelry, and no watches for any team member while in the office.
In the past, you might have seen us at the grocery store in our stylish scrubs. No longer. Now, we change into and out of our newly-cleaned scrubs at the office, every day.
In addition to brushing and flossing before your visit, we will provide an Oracare solution to rinse in your mouth for 60 seconds and reduce bacteria.
Now, you can check-in from your car. As a result, you are able to minimize contact with others, bypass the reception area, and go directly to your treatment room.
Minimizing cross-contamination is an important part of our plan. We will ask you to dispose of any outside gloves before you enter.
Plain and simple, we are not seeing as many patients. We are allocating more time between visits for coming, going and cleaning.
A quick health questionnaire and consent form along with a no-touch temperature check will be completed when you arrive at our office.
In an effort to save you time and multiple exposures, we are offering extended appointments. This allows us to do more dentistry in a single visit.
We are now able to see up to 6 family members during the same visit. It is almost like your own, private dental experience.
Some consultations and follow-up visits can be handled via our secure, patient communication portal. It is a cool, ultra-safe, and efficient extension of our office.
Every patient will be asked to thoroughly disinfect their hands before entering the clinical area of our practice.
Fewer chairs in our reception area, helpful signs and one-way traffic in our treatment area make 6’ spacing a practical reality.
We are super clean as we thoroughly wipe, sanitize, and disinfect all instruments, equipment and surfaces in each operatory after every patient.
Along with cleaning and sanitizing during the day, we take things to another level at night with a thorough top-to-bottom scrub down.
This is standard procedure at all times, and nothing has changed. Anything that goes near your mouth is heat and pressure cleaned between every use.
The beautiful smiles of our clinical team – dentists, hygienists, and assistants – will be protected behind double-masking at all times.
Even our friendly administrative team will be wearing ASTM Level 3 masks. Don’t worry. They are smiling behind those masks!
Two masks are not enough. Our clinical team will also protect you and themselves through the use of FDA Approved PET face shields.
When appropriate, our team will utilize another layer of protection to minimize the spread or absorption of airborne particles.
Whenever possible, we will activate high speed evacuation to minimize aerosol contamination and improve air quality.
Our air has never been cleaner. We have added HEPA-grade filters to our HVAC system along with stand-alone air cleaners in each operatory.
This may make our reception area a little less exciting, but it makes it much safer as well.
