Safety Protocols During COVID-19

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic here in the United States, dental practices across the country were closed. At that time, there was still so much we didn’t know about the coronavirus—many of us were spraying our groceries with Lysol and even hesitating to open the mail, all the while we were being told not to wear face masks.

Now, we have the benefit of knowing a lot more about how COVID-19 is transmitted, which means we’re armed with the knowledge we need to protect ourselves. That’s why dental practices have been able to stay open these past several months, even as COVID-19 cases have been on the rise. Unlike those early days, we know exactly what we have to do to protect our patients, our staff, and ourselves.

First, it’s important to know that dental practices have always followed strict infection control protocols and will continue to do so even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. All surfaces are disinfected after each patient, we wash our hands frequently, tools are sterilized after every use, and we exceed all infection control guidelines from the American Dental Association and Centers for Disease Control.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve implemented some additional technologies to further bolster our infection control measures. These include:

• Surgically Clean Air, a medical-grade air purification system that uses a six-stage filter to remove particulates, allergens, bacteria, mold, viruses, and fungi.
• At Source Oral Aerosol Vacuum, which removes potentially toxic vapors and microbiological contaminants away from where dentists, assistants, and patients breathe.
• Vytis Shield Surface Coatings, for a 99.13 percent reduction of bioburden on all treated surfaces for up to one year. This is the same technology that hospitals use to keep surfaces disinfected.

With these measures in place, we believe there is little risk to our patients when they come to our office for needed dental care. In fact, the position of most professional dental associations is that the risk of going without dental care is greater than the risk of contracting COVID-19 from a dentist’s office.

We know there are a lot of uncertainties right now and having anxiety about all things that used to be routine is completely normal! We’re here to answer any questions you might have about our COVID-19 safety protocols or your dental health. Contact us today at 410-531-2690 and we’ll be happy to help.