COVID-19
How We Prepare Our Team
Mission Dental Arts management has researched and attended webinars on how to adapt to the new healthcare standards appropriate during this time. We take pride in everything we do and we make sure that our practice is always compliant in protecting the safety and health of our patients and team.
We always practice proper hand hygiene in our office and had taken the time to refresh and re-orient our team on proper way of washing their hands to ensure that our team does it well and often, especially before and after every patient encounter. Proper hand washing technique may seem basic but it is the most important. thing we can do to prevent the spread of the virus.
The use of personal protective equipment has always been in placed however, with COVID19 the team has been reoriented and trained for the appropriate use of the personal protective equipment (PPE) according to the COVID-19 guidelines prior to caring for a patient to protect everyone.
We mandate when a team member is not feeling well to proactively stay home for two weeks ,as well as if any member of their household who is sick, have a fever, cough or sore throat.
All the team members will have their temperature checked every day as soon as they arrive at the door and we will immediately send home anyone with an elevated temperature (100 F and above).
How We Prepare the Waiting Room
We leave the office door open to avoid contact with door handles.
We provide masks and tissues made available immediately upon entry.
We have signs posted at the entrance door advising patients of the COVID-19 risk and advising them not to enter the facility when ill.
Alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) with 60-95% alcohol is available at the reception area while tissues and no-touch receptacles for disposal at the entrance, waiting room and at front desk.
We posted instructional posters/ photos in the waiting room to provide patients and remind HCP (Health Care Personnel) with instructions (in appropriate languages) about hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and cough etiquette.
We decluttered the waiting room by removing all the magazines, flyers and leaflets to create a contaminant free environment.
We frequently wipe down everything in the waiting room, bathroom, door handles, tables, light switches, computers...etc.
We placed Hyper HEPA filter in the office to make sure our patient and staff are protected from any harmful airborne particles.
How We Prepare Our Patients
Before the patient comes for appointment
Using established and recommended over the phone screening protocol and scripts we conduct a thorough screening process of patients during the phone calls to address their concerns and identify what level of treatment care they need.
We have prepared questionnaires that we send out to patients to recognize potential carriers prior to coming for an appointment.
We Instruct our patients to call ahead and reschedule their appointment if they develop symptoms of a respiratory infection (e.g., cough, sore throat or fever) on the day they are scheduled to be seen.
Screening Our Patients Upon Arrival
Upon entry, we give patients face masks to put on while they are in the waiting room, filling out forms, making payments or appointments.
It is mandatory for patients to use the hand sanitizer as soon as they step in.
We check the patient’s temperature as soon as they enter the office by using a Non Contact Thermometer and record the patient’s temperature at once. If a temperature above 100 degrees F or 37.7 degrees Celsius and /or respiratory symptoms are present, they will be advised to seek medical treatment and their visit will be rescheduled.
We ask patients about the presence of symptoms of a respiratory infection and history of travel or contact with possible COVID-19 patients and they will be asked to sign a health declaration form.
When Treating the Patient
Our clinical team strictly follow infection control practices between patients (e.g., hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting equipment). Once inside and the procedure had started the assistant can no longer leave the room until procedure is over.
Room doors or partition curtains should be kept closed except when entering or leaving the room, and entry and exit should be minimized.
Special precautions are observed when performing Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGP) by using Isolyzer , Purevac HVE, and Extraoral Dental Vacuum with Hyper HEPA Filtration system designed to capture aerosols from the source is used in our office.
All the needed instruments and materials for the patient’s procedure are made available in the room and if there is a need for more, we have a roving assistant available to get whatever is needed by the doctor.
Post-op care instruction will be given to the patient and will be escorted out of the treatment room straight to the front desk.
Safety Measures for the Patient After the Visit
Patient should wash hands or use hand sanitizer before and after any transaction at the front desk.
Patient can settle payment by using E-Transfer, PayPal or credit card over the phone prior the appointment, or use the same mode of payment using our credit card terminal where they will swipe the card on their own.
To promote social distancing a review of estimates and insurance forms can be carried out via phone call or video conferencing and sent via mail.
After the patient leaves, the front desk person should start cleaning up the front office/ reception.Making note of where the patient sat, what the patient touched, wipe down the doorknobs and, counter tops.
How We Promote Social Distancing
We prioritize high risk patients (immune compromised, over 60 y.o. etc.) by having their dental appointments in the morning so as to lessen their contact with other people.
We limit the number of patients we see in a day by spreading out the schedule so there are less people in the waiting room (A maximum of two people at a time)
If an examination room is not readily available, we ensure social distancing in the waiting room by placing seating a minimum of 6 feet apart.
We advise our patients that if they are being accompanied or escorted by someone, the escort should wait in the car to limit the number of people in the waiting room and promote social distancing.
Patients are also encouraged or they can opt to wait in their car or outside the office where they can be contacted by mobile phone when it is their turn to be treated.
Clinical Protocols of Our Team
A designated room is used as “PPE Prep Room” where our team put on their personal protective equipment (PPE) before entering the treatment room.
Hand Hygiene
The clinical team must perform hand hygiene at all times, before and after all patient contact, contact with potentially infectious material, and before putting on and after removing personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves.
Thoroughly washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) with 60-95% alcohol can also be used as an alternative to washing hands with soap.
Personal Protective Equipment
Wear complete PPE ( face masks, gloves, cap, eye protection, face shields, gowns and N95 masks when around confirmed cases).
Masks are one time use and replace if soiled.
It is enforced that N95 respirators should be used instead of a face mask when performing or present for an aerosol-generating procedure.
Eye Protection
The clinical team must have their eye protection (i.e.,goggles or face shield that covers the front and sides of the face) before entering the treatment room.
Remove eye protection before leaving the patient room or care area.
Reusable eye protection (e.g., goggles) must be cleaned and disinfected according to manufacturer’s reprocessing instructions prior to re-use.
Disposable eye protection should be discarded after use.
Gloves
Put on clean, nitrile gloves upon entry into the treatment room.
Change gloves if they become torn or heavily contaminated.
Remove and discard gloves when leaving the treatment room and immediately perform hand hygiene.
Gowns
The Clinical team puts on a clean isolation gown before entering the treatment room.
Gowns are changed for each patients and is removed and discarded in a dedicated container for waste receptacle before leaving the treatment room.
Shoe Covers
These will be worn over running shoes ,staff is encouraged to wearing plastic shoes that can be wiped down and disinfected.
Cleaning Protocols After Each Clinical Treatment
After the patient is done with the treatment, the assistant will start cleaning the room, using utility gloves while removing all the used materials and instrument and putting them inside the tub with cover.
We wipe down chairs ,trays, light handle, dental chair light, TV & computer monitor, keyboard, x-ray handle and cone, x-ray shield with hospital grade disinfectant.
As our standard cleaning procedure, all non-disposable medical equipment used for patient care should be cleaned and disinfected right after use according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Ensure proper protocol on cleaning and disinfection procedures are followed consistently and correctly.
After every patient leaves, the front desk person should disinfect the front office/ reception. Making note of where the patient sat, what the patient touched, wipe down the doorknobs and, counter tops.
Aside from the routine cleaning and disinfection procedures already in placed, an added disinfecting procedure (disinfectant fogger machine) appropriate for COVID-19 healthcare settings will be used to properly disinfect the the entire office.
These are the safety and health guidelines that we enforced in our office to create a safer environment for all our patients and team members. Rest assured that we are doing everything to provide the safest clinical setting in order to give care and protection to our patients, clinical team and families. We make sure we are safe so we can keep you safe.