Steps that Forestwood Dental is taking to ensure your safety at your next dental appointment
Due to the fact that germs and bacteria occur commonly in dental practices, it’s important to ensure your dentist is taking the necessary steps to ensure you feel complete peace of mind in knowing you are entering a clean environment. With so many health concerns today; you never want to worry that you could be putting yourself or your loved ones at risk by keeping a scheduled dental appointment. The following tips will help you to ensure you have nothing to be concerned about when you walk through the doors for your next dental visit at Forestwood Dental.
Everyone Is Involved in Safety
In most cases, every staff member of a dental office is fully trained to disinfect and sanitize all of the dental equipment and instruments in the office. In light of COVID-19; however, staff members are receiving even more advanced training to become cognizant of additional preventive measures that should be taken to maintain a safe and healthy environment. Each day, a person at the office is responsible for the following tasks:
- Greeting visitors upon arrival
- Ensure all cleaning standards are adhered to by the office
- Making certain social distancing guidelines are followed
- Adhering to Centers for Disease Control & Prevention guidelines regarding the use of personal protective equipment
The Use of Protective Equipment
Dental offices should practice wearing a full regiment of protective equipment, including face masks, protective eyewear, gloves, disposable gowns, and face shield to minimize contamination. The CDC has stated that wearing such equipment will help to reduce potential contamination as well as limit the possible spread of COVID-19. Due to the fact that personal protective equipment is designed to mitigate the transmission of harmful pathogens between individuals, it’s important for dental office staff to receive proper training regarding when and how each PPE item should be worn to provide the highest level of protection.
Daily Temperature Checks
Even though visitors to a dental office may be taking steps to prevent becoming ill, it’s important for them to have peace of mind in knowing that the staff at their dental office is also taking steps. At Forestwood Dental, we take daily temperature checks on all staff as they arrive to work. This one step will make certain that everyone is healthy and symptom-free. In the event a staff member feels ill, they should be instructed to remain at home until they have been cleared to return to the office.
Antimicrobial Patient Rinses
It’s common knowledge that harmful bacteria reside in the mouth. This can cause the immune system to weaken. In order to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, patients should be advised to rinse with an antimicrobial rinse prior to keeping their scheduled appointment. This will assist in eliminating any possible bacteria from the teeth and gums; thus providing staff with improved protection as they perform a cleaning or other treatment.
Following the steps above can help to provide everyone with improved protection, but it’s also important to review any new policies and procedures your dentist office may have undertaken prior to attending your next visit. Doing so will allow you to be better informed while also giving you the opportunity to learn about any extra steps you may be able to take to ensure the highest level of protection.