What we are doing for our patients to navigate through COVID-19
By Drs. Karla Bloomquist and Chiarina Iregui, SoundBridge Dental Arts and Sleep Therapy
Heading into summer, we look forward to seeing patients for all preventative, restorative and sleep apnea needs. We want you to know that we take your health seriously and are doing everything we can to reassure you that moving forward with your dental care is the right thing to do.
During these past couple of months, we have spent time learning about this virus and how it could potentially alter dental care. It is important to keep in mind that we, as dentists, are trained professionals and practice safety every day! Although COVID is a new virus, we are well versed in practicing universal precautions, which means everyone is protected from all potential infections. In general, this is nothing new for us! With the apprehension directed at COVID in particular, there are new precautions that we are taking to protect our patients:
• When making your appointments, you will be asked a short series of screening questions regarding your health.
• Upon arrival at our office, we will ask that you remain in your car until your appointment time.
• We ask that you wear a mask into the office.
• Patients with appointments will be allowed in treatment areas, and companions are asked to remain in your vehicle. We are limiting the number of patients in our reception spaces. Our goal is to not have anyone waiting in the reception area.
• Upon check-in, you will have your temperature taken with a touchless forehead thermometer at the front desk.
• We will ask you to use hand sanitizer upon arrival.
• Once in the treatment area, where we have air filtration units, we will conduct a formal screening consisting of a series of questions.
• Rest assured that we will be taking the usual disinfection protocol precautions and disinfecting all exposed surfaces in the treatment areas. We are also expanding these measures to door handles, countertops, light switches and other commonly touched surfaces.
• Feel confident that we are wearing personal protective equipment to keep ourselves healthy as well. This means you will see us with masks on even if it is the first time we meet you! Our new look will also include face shields.
So the answer is yes, indeed, it is safe to see your dentist! Remember, dental work and sleep apnea therapy are considered essential. This is because delaying treatment puts you at risk for dental infection, more involved procedures, more expensive care, and increased risk of depressed immune system from lack of productive sleep. We want you to know that at SoundBridge, we take your health as seriously as we do our own. The dental office is safer than any other place you can be—trust us!