TEAM TRAINING
Our team has taken this time to review the infection control measures our dental office has always adhered to, along with new ones specific to COVID-19. Beyond office cleanliness, we begin each day by screening ourselves for symptoms, taking temperatures and holding ourselves to the same safety standards we ask of our patients.
We’ve also taken this time to examine and revise our behaviors at home and as we go about our daily lives. Following Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines will help us keep our families, communities and work environments safe.
PATIENT SCREENING AND ARRIVAL
Before your appointment, we will call you to confirm that you are not displaying symptoms of COVID-19. Upon arrival, you will be asked to keep all unnecessary personal belongings like hats, handbags, sunglasses and spouses or companions in your car. Entering the office you will be greeted with hand sanitizer, a fresh face mask and we will take your temperature.
In the treatment room, you will be asked to rinse with IORINSE, a professional dental irrigating solution, which is proven to be a very effective and safe oral antiseptic.
INFECTION CONTROL BARRIERS AND PPE
Our office has N95 masks, face shields, surgical caps and gowns, touchless infrared thermometers and hand sanitizer dispensers. Reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) is changed and sterilized between each patient and all garments are removed and washed before reuse. Difficult-to-clean items and clutter have been removed from the office and treatment rooms. This allows for effective and efficient cleaning and disinfecting between patients.
MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCE WITHIN THE CLINIC
We will see one patient at a time and appointments will be spaced out to allow us time to clean rooms and change into new garments and PPE. Higher-risk patients (60+, cardiovascular disease, immune-compromised, etc.) will be seen in the mornings, before we have seen multiple patients. Any aerosol-producing procedures will be scheduled for the last visit of the day. Additionally, we encourage payment and rescheduling conversations to occur over the phone to reduce the amount of time patients spend in the office.
HEPA AIR PURIFIERS IN TREATMENT ROOMS
We have equipped our treatment rooms with HEPA air purifiers designed specifically for use within dental clinics. Our Austin Air Systems remove 99.97% of particulates 0.3 microns and larger and 95% of particulates 0.1 micron and larger. HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arresting) media has a higher standard of particle filtration than an N95 mask. According to NASA, HEPA media effectively filters nanoparticles as tiny as approximately 0.015 microns in diameter.
HEPA filters are highly effective at catching particles much smaller than the average virus. Since the novel coronavirus measures 0.125 microns, this suggests HEPA media is capable of filtering the virus from the air.