Patient safety and the health and wellbeing of our patients is a priority at our office, which is why we have so many practices in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The new concern is COVID-19 and we want to let our patients know that we are implementing all procedures and precautions that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending.
All exam rooms are being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before patients enter the room and are also thoroughly cleaned and disinfected in between patients. Any items that are not disposable are cleaned and disinfected using hospital-grade cleaning supplies. Items that are disposable are thrown away after being used on a patient and are never reused for another patient. Staff is also taking the necessary precautions of wearing protective clothing when it is necessary, such as masks, gloves and eyewear. In addition, gloves and masks are disposed of after seeing a patient. The doctor or any other medical staff washes their hands and then puts on new protective clothing before seeing their next patient.
COVID-19
There is a lot of talk and concern about the new coronavirus that is causing COVID-19, and these concerns are valid. However, we want our patients to know that our office is taking all of the necessary precautions to prevent this virus from spreading. If you are ill and are experiencing flu-like symptoms, please contact our office to reschedule your appointment.
If you or someone you have recently been in contact with has traveled recently to one of the countries that is experiencing a large COVID-19 outbreak, such as China, Italy, South Korea or Iran, please wait two weeks before you schedule an appointment with your dentist. Similarly, if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or if you have come in close contact with someone who needed to be quarantined, please also wait the 14 days before coming in for an appointment. If you are healthy and have not been exposed to someone who has the virus, there is no need to cancel your appointment.
The majority of people who have been infected with COVID-19 have experienced symptoms that are similar to the flu, and most have eventually recovered from their illness. Most people who are infected also have not developed serious respiratory issues.
Those who are most at risk for developing a serious complication from the virus are the elderly and also those who have a serious medical condition, such as diabetes or respiratory issues. Children, so far, have not been very affected by the virus.
There are some things that you can do to maintain your health and protect those around you and keep them healthy as well. Those things include:
- Frequent hand washing, or using a hand sanitizer that has at least 60% ethyl alcohol
- Cough into your elbow and sneeze into your elbow
- Stay home from work or school if you are feeling ill, have flu-like symptoms or have developed a fever
- Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose
You can visit the
CDC’s website for the latest updates on COVID-19.