Coronavirus Update

Children’s Dental Care COVID-19 Safety Precautions

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Likewise, your child's safety and comfort are of the utmost importance to us, so in regard to COVID-19 we have taken care to research and implement additional safety precautions. 

Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued. We do this to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to each agencies’ recommendations. 

Your understanding, patience, and flexibility during this time are greatly appreciated as we work to give you the best dental care you are accustomed to receiving.

Due to COVID-19, the following are some changes to expect at your next appointment:

1. Our office will communicate with you prior to your appointment to ask some screening questions. You will be asked those same questions again when you are in the office. (If “yes” is answered to any of the questions, we will need to reschedule.)
2. Families should contact the office upon arrival for their appointment (call or text) and wait in the parking lot until the office indicates it is time for their child's appointment.
3. One parent or legal guardian may accompany children/patients who are scheduled for an appointment. Children without an appointment are asked to stay with a responsible party in the parking lot or at home. This is in an effort to maintain the most social distancing possible inside the office.
4. Children are asked to remain with their parent/legal guardian at all times while inside the office.
5. Hand sanitizer will be given to each patient and responsible party to use when entering the office.
6. All parents/guardians and patients should come with a mask on. The masks we have on hand are needed for our dental staff.
7. Each parent/legal guardian and patient that enters the office will have his/her temperature taken. (If a temperature is 100.4 or higher, we will reschedule the appointment.)
8. The play cabin will not be available for use--so sorry kiddos!
9. We are monitoring the temperature and potential symptoms of each of our employees.
10. Increased levels of PPE (face shields, masks, gowns, etc.) will be worn by our employees.
11. To prevent as many aerosols as possible, we are not using the handpiece polisher during routine cleanings. Instead, we are using the polishing paste on a toothbrush, manually polishing your child's teeth.  A nice plus to this is that this method emulates more exactly home brushing and we can seize yet another opportunity to demonstrate good brushing technique.
12. Treatment appointments are restricted to our treatment room which is closed off from our open bay area where we do hygiene appointments.  This is to contain the aerosols produced during more extensive dental procedures. In addition, an HVE (High Volume Evacuator) and rubber dam are used to significantly reduce aerosols.