COVID-19 PROTOCOL
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. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety.
Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable.
Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association(ADA), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued. We do this to make sure that our infection protocol procedures are current and adhere to each agencies’ recommendations. We have been diligently working to implement some extra precautions in addition to universal precautions.
In order to maintain a safe environment, we are taking these measures and ask that you please abide by these new guidelines:
- PRE-APPOINTMENT WELLNESS FORMS: Before your appointment, you will receive a reminder text that will include a link to a Wellness Form that you MUST complete in order to honor your appointment. If for any reason you are unable to fill it out beforehand you will be asked to do so before you are seen for your appointment. This is to ensure the safety of both our dental team and other patients. If you are feeling unwell, or show any symptoms of COVID-19, please get in touch with us to reschedule your appointment.
- CURBSIDE WAITING & CHECK-IN. To adhere to social distancing rules, we ask that you please wait in your car when you arrive at our office. Check-in by texting or calling us at 614-866-6338. Our waiting area will not be in use during this time and has been removed from all magazines, toys, water, and coffee. We ask that each patient comes alone, with the exception of minors who need to be accompanied by a parent and those who need assistance. Only one person may accompany each patient inside the office.
- INCREASED DISINFECTION: We are increasing how frequently we clean and sanitize our office, and all team members are mandated to wash their hands, like always. Hand sanitizers are placed throughout the office for your convenience. Air Purifiers have also been installed in common areas throughout the office to assist in the reduction of aerosols and the removal of the contaminants in the air we breathe, therefore improving air quality.
- PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE): We have secured all of the necessary PPE to ensure the safety of our dental team and patients. With the increase in the amount of PPE our team is incorporating, the temperature in the office will be much cooler than normal. We have always provided blankets and headphones in the past for your comfort, but we ask that you please bring your own jacket, blanket, and/or headphones to your appointment at this time.
- CLINICAL UPGRADES. We will be incorporating a few new upgrades to help minimize the risk of infection and in the reduction of the spread of, not only COVID-19, but other diseases as well. These include air purifiers, hospital-grade disinfectants, UV light, and cold UV disinfectant foggers.
Upon entry into the office, we will be having you SANITIZE YOUR HANDS and CHECKING YOUR TEMPERATURE at the front desk before you proceed back to the treatment room. If you show an elevated temperature of 100.4 F or higher, we will need to cancel your appointment and have you reschedule once your symptoms have been relieved.
Each patient will be asked to rinse with a PRE-PROCEDURAL RINSE to help reduce the number of microorganisms (bacteria) that are introduced during the appointment through splatter or aerosols.
I, and my dental team, look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice.
Thank you for being our patient, we value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors, and friends. To make an appointment, please call our office at 614-866-6338 or visit our website at www.BriceDentalSmiles.com
Wishing you health and Wellness!
Dr. Neeru Sharma and Your Dental Team