COVID-19 Safety Plan
“Dentistry Is Not Business as Usual”
Just like you guys, we are pleased with the announcement of COVID-19 restrictions ease, however, we are still far from what is used to be normal. Considering the way of Oral healthcare services need to be provided, we must be very thoughtful and careful with the plan need to adopted to make your visit safe, not just for our safety as a staff, but even for your own and public health wellbeing.
We are cautiously expanding our services for the time being to include urgent, essential, and other services that would improve function, oral health and quality of life of our clients. Expanding our service must be accompanied with lots of new and updated protocols at different level (Infection Control and Prevention, Administration and the Dental Procedure itself). You will be guided through the new protocol on the phone and upon arrival.
We do appreciate your understanding and help to make these steps flow smoothly. Kindly do not hesitate to contact us should you require any further information.
Our Office (Reception, Waiting Area & Washroom):
Increased frequency of environmental cleaning & disinfection.
Respiratory Hygiene Products will be easily accessible at the entrance (hand sanitizer, tissues, mask, gloves, no-touch waste receptacles, disinfection wipes …etc.).
Multiple signages to guide our clients through our COVID-19 safety policy.
HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance) certified air purifier installed at the reception / waiting area and hygiene room.
We do COVID-19 Screening and keep a contact registry for every single person enter through the door.
We installed a Plexiglass shield on the reception desk to guard against violating physical distance.
Our staff will be wearing their own Personal Protective Equipment all the times.
Minimal number of staff members, just enough to serve you efficiently and safely.
Rarely ever there will be more than one person in the waiting area. Maximum occupancy of 2 persons at a time in the waiting area.
Extra seats with proper physical distance made available in the waiting area.
Specific area allocated for client’s COVID-19 screening and paperwork filling.
Physical distancing signs all over the floor in the reception / waiting area.
Infection Prevention and Control:
In addition to the current regulatory IPAC (Infection Prevention and Control) guidelines we do already follow. We have implemented extra measures to help create a safer environment:
Exam and Hygiene rooms isolation.
Surgically clean air filtration unit with Negative ions & UV light.
Aerosol extraction through different techniques.
Two stage room disinfection protocol (detergent spray followed by hospital grade disinfectant effective against COVID-19 virus).
Staff will be wearing enhanced Personal Protective Equipment throughout the procedure.
Treatment Risk Assessment:
Clients with certain pre-existing medical conditions are more likely to suffer from COVID-19 than others. Risk assessment must be done before each in-person interaction. The risk will vary with the context of the Client’s general health and the type of the procedure being contemplated.
COVID-19 Screening:
When calling for appointment, you will be screened for the following parameters. You will need to let the office know if the results of this screening change any time before the appointment. Positive screening result will end up deferring the appointment or referral to a specialized office.
Fever
Sore throat
Runny nose
Shortness of breath
Cough
Sneeze
Recent loss of smell
If they have had close contact or have been in isolation with a suspected case in the last 14 days
If they have travelled outside BC in the last 14 days
Appointment Booking:
Client’s request for an appointment must be assessed in terms of Risk / Safety ratio and its state of urgency.
Pre-screening for COVID-19 must be done on the phone when the appointment booked.
Positive Pre-screening result will result in referral or deferring the appointment.
Pre-screening must be redone one day before the appointment either through a phone call or automated message system.
We will be gathering some information on the phone about your dental concern to try prioritizing your booking and allocating appropriate appointment time.
Appointments to be staggered so no more than one client in the office at a time.
We will be generous in our bookings to allow time for most of your treatment be done in one visit.
You will be asked about any possible risk factors (Pre-existing medical conditioned).
You will be guided through our COVID-19 pandemic policy and safety procedures.
We will try collect dental Insurance / Benefit information remotely to minimize your waiting time at the office.
You will need to confirm / update your personal information (address, cellphone, and email).
You will receive an email / message that will guide you through the steps that you need to follow through out your dental visit.
For your safety, appointment must be deferred if the oral healthcare provider reported +ve to any of the COVID-19 screening symptoms.
Appointment & Treatment Prioritization:
We reflect upon the followings in determining priority for in-person care:
Acuity of patient’s condition.
Functional impairment.
Appropriateness of services provision via virtual care.
Necessity of services which can only be provided in-person.
Duration of patient wait times for care.
Your Appointment:
Try your best to be precise with your arrival time. The earliest you can come in is 5 minutes before the appointment time to avoid appointments’ conflicts.
Upon arrival, kindly check through the glass that maximum occupancy od the waiting area has been reached (2 persons).
If the maximum occupancy has been reached, then you will need to wait outside or in your vehicle till you receive a message or a phone call to let you in.
If more than one person in the waiting area, then a minimum 2m physical distance must be respected with optional mask available at the hygiene station.
Try to attend the appointment by yourself, if accompany person required to attend then better to wait outside the office or at least be masked.
Hand hygiene (wash with soap & water or hand sanitizer) is mandatory upon entering the office.
You will move to a station where all items disinfected and clean (pen, chair, desk …etc.).
You will need to sign a consent form allowing the OHCPs to provide you with dental services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Any interaction with the receptionist needs to be done through the transparent plexiglass shield.
Try use technology to minimize paper handling
You will need to mouth rinse with 1.5% Hydrogen Peroxide for 60 seconds before the procedure (please let’s know if you have any allergy to such a mouth rinse).
Try use the washroom before treatment starts as it will be difficult to disturb the procedure (hand sanitize after using washroom).
We will move you to the treatment room as soon as you finish the paperwork.
Kindly stay on the chair even though treatment finished, office staff will guide you when its safe to head to the reception area.
Do hand hygiene before or once you step out the treatment room.
Prescriptions are to be faxed or called to the pharmacy directly.
Payments are better to be done touch free or on the phone.
Receipts are to be e-mailed when possible.
In order to reduce the number of office personnel at a time, receptionist sometimes work from home, then the administrative part of your appointment is to be completed later at another day, thank you for understanding.
Hand Hygiene:
Hand hygiene can be performed through either soap/water washing or hand sanitizer for at least 20m sec. It must be performed:
When entering the office.
Right after leaving the exam room.
After touching your face.
Before and after wearing a mask.
After contact with environmental surfaces.
Before and after eating.
After using the washroom.
After Coughing and Sneezing.
Your Feedback is our fuel to serve you better …
Mr. Tooth Dental House
