With businesses starting to reopen, it’s time to start thinking about your next preventive care visit. When you arrive for one, you may notice that the entire office feels a little different. That’s a good thing. Your dentist in Lincoln has been diligently preparing for your return by implementing new safety procedures throughout their practice. Keep reading to learn about what changes you can expect to see at your next appointment.
New Patient Schedules
Simply put, practices are not seeing as many people as they once did. They want to give everyone in the office enough time to follow the new disease prevention procedures properly without feeling rushed.
Pre-Screenings
Before you enter the treatment area, a member of the team will check if you have any symptoms of the coronavirus. You will be asked to answer a series of questions and to have your temperature taken with a no contact device to make sure that you are healthy and ready for care.
Social Distancing
Throughout the office, teams are doing their part to maintain social distancing. To limit unnecessary contact, they will now welcome patients using no touch greetings like a nod or a wave. Additionally, the number of seats in the waiting room will be reduced and signs will be used to create a one-way flow of people between areas.
New Procedures For Staff
Your dental team is taking precautions to stop the virus from getting near you. They will be changing in and out of their work clothes on-site to limit the flow of germs through the practice. Before seeing patients, they will also need to complete a health screening form and temperature check to verify that they don’t have any symptoms of COVID-19.
Additional Protective Equipment
Anyone who is involved in treatment procedures will be wearing more protective gear than they usually do. N95 and ASTM Level 3 masks will cover their mouths and noses, while PET face shields and plastic overcoats will stop the virus from landing on their skin and clothes.
More Dedicated Cleaning Times
Disinfection has always been part of your dentist’s safety policies. However, the threat of COVID-19 has required them to do it more often. Treatment rooms are cleaned after each patient visit. The entire office is disinfected at the end of the day as well.
If concerns about your safety are stopping you from scheduling a preventive care visit, call your dentist and ask them what they are doing to keep patients safe. They will be more than happy to speak with you about the new policies they have added.
About the Author
Since graduating from dental school in 1999, Dr. Louis Olberding has continuously added to his knowledge to ensure that he is providing the best treatment possible. As a member of the prestigious Spear Study Club and the Nebraska Dental Association, he stays up to date on the latest dental safety procedures. If you want to learn more about how he has updated his office to handle the threat of COVID-19, you can contact him through his website or at 402-488-2325.