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In light of the current pandemic, social distancing guidelines, face coverings, and extensive hand hygiene have become an integral part of our everyday lives. While avoiding exposure to COVID-19 is crucial for everyone, it is especially important for patients who are mature in age or medically compromised. Since their immune system is weakened, the symptoms associated with the Coronavirus can become life-threatening. With this in mind, your dental team is accommodating at-risk patients by implementing measures that will protect them during their routine cleaning or emergency visit. Wondering what they are? Keep reading!
Designated At-Risk Patient Hours
Pre-pandemic, sitting sardine-style in a jam-packed waiting room may have been a routine occurrence during busy days or popular hours. However, this experience is by no stretch of the imagination pandemic-friendly. So, dental teams are introducing new appointment schedules that reduce foot traffic and allow for ample cleaning time. Plus, they are implementing designated hours for at-risk patients, which can provide them peace of mind during their dental care.
Teledentistry Visits
To prevent patients from having to leave their homes for routine checkups, dental teams are offering teledentistry visits as well. This remote form of dental care allows dentists to assess, monitor, and diagnose at-risk patients from the comfort of their own home. That way, they can limit their potential exposure without compromising their oral health.
Extensive Sanitation Measures
Long before 2020, your dental team followed painstaking sanitation and safety standards set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. However, your dentist is taking these already extensive measures to the next level by:
- Placing hospital-grade hand sanitizing stations throughout their office.
- Cleaning after every appointment.
- Conducting a deep cleaning each evening.
- Using CDC-approved instrument sterilization.
- Implementing advanced chairside suction.
- Introducing negative pressure rooms, HEPA air filtration, and Isolite HVE systems.
Additional Personal Protective Equipment
At previous appointments, seeing your dentist in a face mask and fresh set of gloves was routine. While those measures are still important, the CDC is currently recommending that dentists wear additional personal protective equipment to practice proper infection control and prevent cross-contamination. Therefore, don’t be surprised if you see your dental team in face shields, disposable gowns, and even shoe coverings!
Social Distancing in Place
Since the start of the pandemic, experts at the CDC have continued to enforce the importance of practicing social distancing. In fact, they estimate that maintaining a 6-foot distance has prevented up to 185,000 deaths! Therefore, your dentist has re-designed their office to make social distancing a practical reality. If you have an urgent dental issue that requires you to come in, you can expect:
- Virtual waiting rooms that allow you to check-in with your phone from the comfort of your car.
- Sequenced patient scheduling to reduce the number of patients they visit in a day.
- One-way traffic signs to effectively funnel foot traffic throughout the building.
While the transition out of quarantine can be anxiety-inducing for at-risk patients, it is important to know that your dental team is dedicating their time and resources to keeping you safe. That way, you can get the oral care you need without compromising your peace of mind!
About the Practice
A comprehensive array of services, availability seven days a week, special savings, and world-class customer service are just a few of the reasons patients love going to Island Daily Dental Care. Plus, they have six talented doctors on staff that are dedicated to using their extensive experience, impressive training, and passion for dentistry to safely provide their patients the oral care they need. If you would like additional information on how their team is accommodating at-risk patients, then visit their website or give them a call at 631-286-9000.