Working Together To Keep You Safe
Posted on May 19th, 2020 | Dr. Kerry Lowery
The safety of our patients and staff have always been our top priority, but now more than ever we want to share specific details of how we are dealing with COVID-19.
Our office has always utilized personal protective equipment (PPE) that has exceeded all the CDC guidelines, however, in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic we have instituted additional guidelines and protocols to ensure your safety. Dentistry has spent the past decades perfecting surface disinfection and management now we are moving into air management
Below is a list of some of the enhanced precautions we have taken to protect you in addition to extensive team training on infection control and patient management procedures.
1. Personalized arrival procedures to guide you from your car directly to treatment rooms to comply with social distancing standards.
2. Maintain distancing in the reception area for essential caregivers and parents of minors if they cannot wait in a vehicle or outside the office
3. Removed magazines and items that can harbor or transfer germs of any kind. Hand sanitizers will be positioned throughout the office
4. We require a mask to be worn by ALL patients upon entering the office.
5. Record temperature and lung efficiency via pulse oximetry of patients upon entering the office for COVID screening processes.
7. Introduce an oral pre-rinse by all patients to reduce exposure to germs.
8. Require 30-second hand washing prior to all appointments by patients and staff.
9. Enhanced operatory disinfection procedures of all surfaces between patients
10. Ambient air management with HEPA 13 air filtration continuously in treatment rooms and common areas to remove germs from circulating air.
11. Enhanced operatory disinfection procedures before and after all appointments with mist or fogging devices to access hard to reach places that can be easily missed.
12. New personal protection equipment like visors, gowns, and additional masks for our doctors and team to provide barriers against the smallest of germs.
13. Introduce protocols to reduce or eliminate airborne aerosols during all dental procedures.
14. Enhanced nightly disinfection procedures of equipment and office fixtures like computers, keyboards, telephones, tablets, chairs, doorknobs, and buttons that may be touched unconsciously.
15. Longer appointment times for us to prepare and complete all appointment tasks and duties in the safest and in the most comprehensive manner.
17. Providing teledentistry services for follow up lab reports or communication that can be done online or through video education.
We have never taken your and our health and safety lightly. It is truly our number one priority. Please know that we are very prepared and looking forward to continuing to help you. Our sabbatical from treating patients has taught us all a lot about who we are as health care workers and reaffirmed our love for treating and helping others. We stand proudly and excitedly to welcome you back.
-The Beyond Smiles of Park Ridge Team-
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