PLEASE REVIEW OUR OFFICE PROTOCOL IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS:
This is a serious situation and we must protect ourselves, our families and our patients. We will be taking these precautions to stay proactive during this critical time.
Prior to an office visit, all patients will be contacted and given this verbal questionnaire:
- Have you traveled over seas within the last three weeks?
- Have you been in contact with anyone who has the coronavirus?
- Have you had or have been experiencing a cold, runny nose, sneezing, cough, fever or flu like symptoms or have you been in contact with someone who has had those symptoms?
If the answer to any of the above questions is “yes,” then we will require the patient to reschedule their elective procedures.
If the answer to any of the above questions is “no,” patients will be required to adhere to the following guidelines:
- We ask patients to wait in their car and call us upon arrival, so that no patients are sitting in the waiting room together.
- We also ask that family members, or anyone accompanying the patient to the office, wait in their cars as no family members will be allowed in the back of the office.
- Prior to any procedure(s), patients will be asked to wash their hands in the bathroom and then we will bring them into the operatory.
- Once entering the operatory, patients will be asked to rinse with a 1% hydrogen peroxide solution provided to them in a paper cup and then asked to gently expectorate it back into the paper cup. The contents will be placed into the sink and the cup into the garbage. If the patient is allergic to hydrogen peroxide, peridex will be used. When treatment is finished, the patient will again be asked to wash their hands.
In addition, our office staff is adhering to the following guidelines:
- All employees will be given the same questionnaire listed above prior to coming into work. If they answer “yes,” to any of the above questions, they will be asked to take a 2-week hiatus from work, so as not to put any co-workers or patients at risk for infection.
- All waiting room chairs will be wiped down regularly.
- All operatory chairs, lights, counter tops, etc. will be wiped down in between every patient just like we normally do.
- We will continue to practice universal precautions, including washing hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap and water, wearing gloves and mask. We will also be sure to use our masks sparingly as availability is extremely limited during this time. After treating a patient, the mask comes off and is checked for blood or saliva and if either is present, the mask is discarded. Gloves are taken off inside the operatory and hands are washed again. There is no exception to any of these guidelines. Any employee that violates these procedures will be asked to exit the office.