We hope you and your family have stayed safe during this time and are in good health! We recognize the magnitude of recent events and impact on life as we know it. The world has been through a lot over the last few months and we know many of you are looking forward to resuming normal routines. One thing has remained the same and that is our commitment to protecting the health and safety of our patients and staff. Our practice strictly adheres to and exceeds the standards for infection control.
We will always and will continue to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to the guidelines of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The American Dental Association (ADA) and The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We have implemented new infection control procedures that we would like to tell you about. A few of these measures include:
- Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask screening questions.
- We will perform temperature checks for everyone entering the office.
- You will notice that our waiting room will no longer offers magazines or other reading materials.
- We have modified our waiting room setup and appointment scheduling to maintain social distancing.
- We are directing all patients to complete online registration prior to their initial consultation appointment. This will allow us to minimize the handling of pens, paper, clipboards, and other items.
- The local, state, and federal recommendations at this point ask people wear masks while in public places. We will be enforcing this policy and requiring that all of our patients come to their visits with a mask of their choice for their own protection.
- For the safety of other patients and staff we will ask that only the patient come into the office. Any other accompanying persons wait in the car for the duration of the appointment. If the patient is a minor, one parent or legal guardian may accompany the patient. Both the patient and the parent should wear a mask.
- Upon entry we will ask you to please sanitize your hands. Prior to check in we will ask you to review the health screening questions again.
- We have taken steps above and beyond any current regulation and this includes use of air purifying devices that include HEPA filters, single patient use disposable nasal hoods for nitrous oxide, acrylic barriers in the reception area, strict PPE protocol with all staff utilizing N95 or KN95 masks, surgical masks, face shields and disposable gowns.
- Using hospital grade disinfectants and practicing the latest sterilization protocols
- And for those patients seeking an alternative to in person visits, we will continue to provide teledentistry appointments.
We are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice.
Sincerely,
Tejal Patel, DMD