Keeping Our Offices Clean
We take great pride in providing the safest and cleanest environment possible for both our clients and our staff. A regular process of sanitation and dental sterilization is followed by our staff. Your health and safety is our primary concern!
When you visit our office, rest assured that our systems and procedures follow the guidance of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). We use state of the art practices and controls to maintain optimal dental office sterilization and to clean dental instruments. Our commitment to you is to provide the highest quality of care in the safest possible environment.
How do we provide for your safety?
We use the latest machines, dental autoclaves, and dental sterilization equipment. We also employ steam sterilizers and dental sterilizers. This equipment kills bacteria, viruses, and other germs by applying pressure, steam, and heat.
Staff at our offices are extensively trained to understand and follow all recommended procedures, including those of the CDC, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We consider these recommendations the baseline upon which to build our dental office sterilization procedures and routine.
What measures do you take to protect clients and staff?
Your safety is our primary concern. We ensure that all surfaces are clean and safe by:
- Providing face masks and gloves
- Utilizing disposable materials and equipment
- Having disinfectant hand soap and hot water available in all exam rooms
- Sterilizing and cleaning all non-disposable equipment between each use
- Cleansing surfaces and countertops with chemicals and disinfectants
When you visit our offices, you’ll see us performing these best practices in person. Each and every one of our staff wears masks and gloves, which will also be provided to you during your exam or procedure. These items are disposed of after each use, and exam rooms are thoroughly sanitized, all surfaces cleaned, and everything made ready for the next client using EPA approved chemicals.
What disposable materials do you use?
Almost all of the instruments we use during exams are either disposable or easily cleaned. Disposable items include things like face shields, masks, gowns, gloves, and other items like floss, brushes, and gauze. Once used, we make sure that these items are properly discarded.
Staff training includes best practices in the handling, use, and disposal of these materials.
What about reusable instruments?
For the instruments and equipment that can’t be discarded, we follow a rigorous cleaning and disinfection procedure between each use.
Cleaning : After each use, all non-disposable equipment is thoroughly cleaned using ultrasonic cleaners. This process removes all bacteria, germs, and other debris.
Packaging : Once cleaned, reusable equipment and instruments are wrapped in appropriate packaging and sealed before being sterilized. This ensures that they are clean and ready to go.
Sterilization : Packaged instruments are sterilized using dental autoclave sterilizers following FDA recommended procedures.
Disinfecting : All remaining surfaces are wiped down and cleaned using EPA approved surface cleaners and disinfectants.
After they’ve been put through this process, reusable instruments are stored safely until needed. These best practices ensure that your safety and health are provided for using the best practices and recommended guidance.
What about staff training?
We keep up-to-date on new technologies and procedures and our staff is trained regularly. We review our policies on a regular basis and make adjustments as needed to guarantee your safety.
We welcome your comments and questions! Give us a call and we are happy to provide you with detailed descriptions and further information about how we protect you and your family. We are committed to keeping the office free of viruses, bacteria, and other infectious diseases.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Any additional measures?
We will be taking additional precautions for our team and our patients to ensure the safety and health of everyone that walks through our doors. Below are the specific safety measures that our patients should be aware of before arriving for their appointment:
- There will be hand sanitizer and hand soap readily available for our patients and our team throughout the office.
- Our check-in protocols have been modified to encourage social-distancing. We are offering a vehicle check-in option to reduce the number of patients in the waiting areas. For patients preferring to use the waiting room, we have spaced out all the of the chairs to adhere to social-distancing standards
- All patients and staff will be screened and have their temperature taken upon entering our office. No one will be admitted into our facilities with a temperature of 100.4 or greater.
- We will be using a dental technology called the Isolite in some of our dental procedures. This device eliminates airborne aerosols by over 90%, creating a much safer environment for both our staff and patients.
- Our team will be using the appropriate PPE including gloves, masks, and face shields that create a safe barrier between you and our staff.
- Everyone will be asked to rinse with a pre-procedural mouth rinse prior to their visit. Since COVID-19 is vulnerable to oxidation, any mouth rinse containing oxidative agents such as 1% hydrogen peroxide or .2% povidone is recommended to reduce the salivary load of oral microbes, including potential COVID.
- We will be limiting the number of people allowed in our facilities at any given time.
- We are utilizing a professional cleaning company to disinfect all surfaces in our office with an electrostatic fogger. This two-step process, which is being utilized by airlines and hospitals, sterilizes the surfaces and wraps around objects and surfaces to provide a protective coating. You will not be able to see, feel, or smell the product. If a person touches an object or surface the disinfectant will kill viruses and bacteria on contact.
