Update to Patients Concerning Coronavirus COVID-19

First and foremost, please know that as a healthcare provider the safety and well-being of our patients and team members is always our top priority.

The good news is that we have continually utilized the recommended CDC and ADA health safeguards for our patients and the cleanliness of our workspaces and equipment for the patients that we serve.

As for proactively dealing with coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to provide you with an update of the processes and procedures we are implementing here to help prevent the spread of the virus, in addition to our current highest standards of cleanliness and safety.

Additional Safety Precautions include:

• Disinfecting patient entrances and common reception area and restrooms, with special focus on places where people touch such as door handles, countertops, toilet seats, etc. We will be doing this prior to patient hours and numerous times throughout the day.
• Providing hand sanitizer at check-in and check-out locations and in restrooms.
• Posting CDC hand washing instructions in all restrooms and monitoring team member compliance.
• Posting cough/sneeze etiquette posters in the office.
• Increasing the frequency of cleaning and focusing on high-touch areas like team member entrances, break room, laundry area, restrooms, and administrative offices.
• We have educated our employees on the steps they should be taking to keep themselves safe and healthy, including the expectation to stay home if they don’t feel well for any reason.

Fortunately, as a dental provider, we don’t usually see patients who are actively ill, but preventing any transfer of communicable diseases is critical to all of us. That’s why we have always adhered to OSHA guidelines on disease prevention and cleanliness in the dental office.

If you are not feeling well, have a fever, cough, are having respiratory issues, recent loss of taste or smell or feel it is likely that you have recently been exposed to someone who has the COVID-19 virus, we ask that you postpone your appointment at this time until that has passed. If you have an urgent dental problem and are not feeling well, we will schedule a time after normal hours when only you will be seen and we can address your dental problem and thoroughly clean, disinfect and control any potential contamination.

For you, the most effective way to prevent the spread of any communicable disease is to:

• Avoid contact with those who are sick
• Stay home if you are sick
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (CDC Guidelines)
• Avoid touching your face
• Practice social distancing when interacting with the public

If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 – fever, cough, and shortness of breath, etc. – contact your primary care provider or your public health department.

Please know that we are vigilantly monitoring the COVID-19 situation and recommendations from the CDC, Federal, state and local authorities to insure the health of all of us.