How Is Your Dental Team Preparing for Your Visit?

Dentists and other healthcare professionals are always required to follow strict guidelines to ensure that patients are being treated in a safe and clean environment. Even though this is the case at all times, due to recent events regarding the worldwide pandemic, your dentist is putting even more steps into dental safety during COVID-19. Continue reading to learn just a handful of the new protocols that are being implemented to provide extra protection to patients during this time.

Safety Champion

Every single day, one member of the staff is being designated to guide your dental office’s Commitment to Safety. This means that they will be greeting patients who come into the office, ensuring that social distancing regulations are being followed, and monitoring the practice overall to make sure that the environment is as safe as possible.

Daily Health Checks

When the dental team comes into the office each day, they are asked a brief set of questions and given a no-touch temperature check. This way, all members of the staff are ready, able, and willing to provide safe care to patients.

Changing Work Clothes at Work

Normally, the team puts on their scrubs at home before coming into the practice. Now, to help prevent the possibility of bringing germs in and out of the office, all staff members are changing into their clean work clothes once they get to the building. They will change out of them before they leave.

Additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Your dentist always wears PPE in order to prevent the spread of germs. Normally, this would include a surgical mask, disposable gloves, and any other gear that your dentist deems necessary for a particular procedure or treatment. Now, you will see even more PPE being worn by the staff. This includes masks for the administrative team and protective coats and hats for the clinical team members.

Installed Clear Barriers

Hard plastic guards have been installed strategically throughout the office in order to block the movement of airborne particles. These are disinfected on a regular basis.

Virtual Waiting Room

Normally, you would check in in the reception area when you come into the office. Now, you can check in from your car. Just call the office to let the staff know that you’ve arrived. They will alert your when the team is ready for you. This way, you can bypass the reception are and go directly to your treatment room.

Sequenced Patient Scheduling

Appointments have been spaced out further than usual. This prevents the likelihood of unnecessary contact between patients and allows for more time to clean between visits.

As much as things have changed in the past few months, your dentist is taking many new steps to keep you safe. With so many new precautions, you can continue to look after your oral health with peace of mind.

About the Author

Dr. Sol G. Brotman earned his dental doctorate from the University of Maryland Dental School and has taught dental students, residents, fellows, and faculty members in continuing education programs at four different dental schools in five different disciplines. He is also a Master in the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Brotman and his team are implementing 23 additional dental safety protocols to keep patients safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit his website or call (904) 396-4091.