Note: This post was written by Dr. Hervas in 2020, as a response to the COVID-19 health crisis in the United States. It may not reflect current information. For up-to-date information on the pandemic, visit the CDC.gov website. For information about our current safety standards, we invite you to call our office. Today and everyday, your safety is our top priority.
Ever since March of 2020, COVID-19 has changed the lives of millions of Americans and forced dental practices to make many changes to their protocols that will not be going away any time soon. During the months of March and April, many dental practices had to close because of state related bans, emergencies were the only exception. Even after reopening, the volume of patients has remained at a record low. There are many factors contributing to this, but the biggest reason is because of the ‘fear’ of being infected with the virus. The general knowledge is that the virus can spread from one person to another if they are less than 6 feet apart through the micro particles made when they sneeze, cough, or talk. To ensure the safety of our patients and staff, our team has implemented new permanent guidelines in accordance with the guidelines given by the CDC.
How is Implantation Dental Center dealing with pandemic screening
To begin, all staff members are required to take a COVID-19 screening test to be authorized to work.
Our office has established a pre-appointment screening process which ensures that patients with COVID-19 symptoms do not come to our clinic.
- Temperatures are taken as soon as the staff arrives, and the office keeps a screening log to be filled out for all staff on a daily basis. Patients are temperature screened upon entry before check-in and it is logged to their file.
- All check-in areas, waiting areas, workstations, and operatory rooms are sanitized before and after each patient.
- There is only one patient allowed in the waiting area at a time.
- Only 10 individuals are permitted in the office at a time (including staff and patients)
Staff are required to always wear masks when in the office. The doctors and dental assistants wear a mask AND face shield when operating on patients. Patients are required to always wear masks unless they are being seen by the doctor or having surgery.
Dentists face the highest risk of exposure to the coronavirus. They use instruments like handpieces or ultrasonic scalers and air-water syringes that sprays visible droplets into the air. These droplets can remain suspended in the air for up to 3 hours and survive up to days on surfaces. If a patient is infected with COVID-19, the droplets can still be transmitted to dentists and other patients by direct inhalation or by contaminated surfaces. Along with PPE and routine sanitizing procedures, we have installed three Surgical Quality Air Purifiers in our office. One in the patient waiting area, one in the check-out area, and one in the surgical operatory room.
How our Plantation Dentistry Office Disinfects
In Dentistry all surfaces are wiped down with cavicide which is an effective disinfectant against virus, bacteria and fungi. All cover items are disposable and single use.
Air purifying devices that utilize HEPA filtration will help clean and sterilize the indoor air. All instruments are cleaned and sterilized under autoclaves (steam) in order to kill or eliminate any living organisms and inactivate spores.
This pandemic due to its mode of transmission will change how medical and dental practices operate. And this is important as new information is obtained from investigators around the world discovering the virus stability at different surfaces and temperatures vs. different disinfectants.
Every day we are reviewing and adapting new protocols to keep up with the latest information and advances on this fight against Covid-19.
Covid-19 Precautions for Seniors and Elderly Patients
Older people or older adults by the current classification are generally considered after 65 years of age. Young adults ages between 18-35, middle age adults 36-65 and older adults after 65. Older adults by some other classifications are usually retired people or receiving pension with some changes in its functional ability. According to the American Psychological Association, one out of every 65 years old will live past 90!! Maybe we need a new classification or label for somebody that pass 80 years of age. Grandpa and Grandma looks so good this days!
“Never say die: The Myth and Marketing of the New Old Age” by Susan Jacoby describes 65 years of age not to be old. Some people begin to live at 65! We have a generation of baby boomers (currently 76 millions in the U.S) getting healthier, wealthier and ready to travel around the world and Covid-19 won’t stop them.
Older adults are at higher risk to contract Covid-19 when there is an underlying serious medical condition like asthma, uncontrolled diabetes, serious heart conditions, heavy smokers, severe obesity, immunocompromised, kidney and liver disease and probably more as we learn with this novel corona virus. Older adults leaving in nursery homes. People taking steroids for long time that has weaken the immune system.
For all this people it is advised to stay home, avoid contact, maintain social distance at least 6 feet. Wash your hands often. With all the technology and phone applications, there is no need to go grocery shopping. Order online for pick up or have it deliver to your house. This is a good time to learn or get better at internet! Amazon has opened its library for free books and movies. Communicate and connect with others. Through Facetime you can probably search for your classmates in high school and set a party house online.
As a prosthodontist, our practice is full of this amazing group of people. They want to look good, feel good and eat good. Many of you are wearing dentures and want something fixed. Fixed teeth are no luxury anymore, they are a standard to improve quality of life. All on four is just one alternative for fix teeth. Check our blogs on fixed dentures.
N95 and Types of Masks in Dentistry
In dentistry we wear a protective mask to see patients pretty much all the time. Level 3 masks provide a high barrier to pathogens or particles airborne. N95 masks are also available and the 95 means that the mask blocks 95% of the particles up to 0.3 microns and 80% of particles down to 0.007. So how big is the corona virus? Researchers found to be approximately 0.125 microns.
