You may not realize it, but your dental office is one of the cleanest places you can visit right now. Employing staff who are meticulous when it comes to cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing, you can feel confident seeking emergency dental care during this difficult time, should you need it. But if you are wondering how dental offices are staying safe and clean during COVID-19, learn what precautions your dentist is taking.
Maintaining Proper Hand Hygiene
Considered to be one of the most effective ways to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, proper hand hygiene will be thoroughly performed using soap and warm water to wash hands for at least 20 seconds. If your dentist is preparing for oral surgery of any kind, they must perform a surgical hand scrub prior to putting on gloves.
Wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
You may notice when you arrive that your dentist and team members will be wearing PPEs to protect against COVID-19. This includes gloves, masks, protective eyewear, face shields, and a disposable gown or lab coat.
Placing Appropriate Signage Throughout the Office
Do not be surprised to see signage posted on doors throughout the office that instruct patients to cough and/or sneeze into a tissue or the crease of the elbow and avoid touching the mouth, nose, eyes, and face. You may also notice additional trash cans, tissues, or even masks should you feel the need to use one during your visit.
Extreme Sterilizing and Disinfecting
Although dental offices must sterilize and disinfect all equipment, instruments, and surfaces regularly, this will be performed even more diligently and thoroughly because of COVID-19. While dentists are currently encouraged to use single-use materials at this time, if an instrument is designed to be reused, team members will follow the manufacturing instructions to ensure it is safely and successfully sanitized and disinfected.
Pre-Screening Before the Appointment
When calling to inform the dentist about your dental emergency, they will likely perform a pre-screening to protect both you and staff members from possible infection. If you have been sick or are currently displaying symptoms of respiratory illness, you may or may not be able to seek immediate dental care and will need to wait until you are cleared to leave self-quarantine. This helps to keep everyone safe and avoid accidental transmission of the virus from patient to staff and vice versa. Your dentist may even be taking temperatures of employees to ensure no one is displaying symptoms while at work.
Your safety is a priority, and to make it possible for you and others to receive emergency assistance during this time, your local dentist is going to make every effort to maintain an environment that is clean for everyone involved.
About the Practice
At Dupont Family Dentistry, our team of professionals is going the extra mile to keep everyone safe. Adhering to the recommendations and guidelines of the CDC and ADA, should you need to see us for a dental emergency, you can rest assured all the appropriate measures and precautions are being taken. Although we are unsure as to when we will reopen to all patients, please do not hesitate to contact us at (253) 964-7000 for assistance. Our administrative and dental staff are here to answer your questions, address your concerns, and provide the highest level of customer service.