Dentistry Is As Safe As Ever

As the world begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, one question that we are often asked is “Do you think it’s safe for patients to come back?” Our immediate answer is an overwhelming, “YES!”

Dental offices are one of the SAFEST places you can be.

Dentistry is a profession of obsessive-compulsive cleaners. Dental treatment rooms are cleaned with bactericidal and viricidal cleaners before & after each patient visit. Our practice utilizes barrier protection to prevent germs from spreading when we touch things. All instruments are heat sterilized before each patient and then sterilized again afterward. In addition to utilizing many disposable products, we wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the safety of our patients.

Dentistry was safe before the COVID-19 outbreak and it remains safe after.

Recently, much has been written about aerosols and their potential danger, especially as it relates to COVID-19. Our human bodies have a well-developed immune system to protect us from any potential dangers that we may be exposed to from aerosols in our daily lives. As it specifically relates to aerosols generated by dental procedures, the American Dental Association (ADA) has been a leader in helping dental offices remain safe before, during, and after the pandemic. With guidelines that have been developed through science and fact, this includes improved safety measures that were developed with both the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Dentistry was safe before the COVID-19 outbreak and it remains safe after. To date, there has not been one instance of a major COVID-19 outbreak from a dental office, throughout the entire world.

Since the pandemic began, dental offices have been taking additional safety measures to protect their patients and team. These include:

  • Social distancing
  • COVID-19 screening before each patient visit, including taking temperatures
  • Limiting the number of people who are in the office
  • Sanitization of patient hands
  • Increased PPE for both patients and the dental team

Our office is even going above and beyond by improving our air filtration with air purification devices.

These additional measures, in addition to a dentist’s regular infection control procedures, make dental offices one of the safest places you can be.

There’s a lot of uncertainty when it comes to COVID-19. One thing we will assure our patients about is that going to the Dentist is, and always has been, safe.

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Welcome Back !

We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines.  We firmly believe that all dental care is essential; oral health is essential to general health and well-being at every stage of life.

Safety of both patients and staff has always been a top priority. That philosophy hasn’t changed, but the measures upon which to ensure it have.

Staff will wear optimal protective gear, use hospital-grade disinfectants, administer the latest sterilization protocols, and utilize single-use disposable materials – always remaining consistent with the latest CDC and ADA guidelines.  We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance regarding proper infection control procedures.

You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example:

  • Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask screening questions. If you have a fever, are experiencing any COVID symptoms, or have recently been exposed, please contact the office and we can assist in rescheduling your appointment.
  • We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use immediately upon approaching the front desk and your temperature will be taken.
  • For the next several weeks our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
  • Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. We ask that you come alone to your appointment, if you need assistance to get into and out of the office, we will ask that person to kindly wait in the car while you are being treated.  We ask that only one parent accompany a young child into the treatment room.
  • We ask that you arrive promptly at your appointment time, not too early, to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.
  • We also ask that you please wear a mask when coming into the office.

It is our firm belief that preventive dental care is important to your overall good health and look forward to seeing you for your next re-care appointment.  We are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we are taking to keep you, our staff, and every patient, safe in our practice. To schedule an appointment, please call our office at 414-258-0120.

We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors and friends.

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