Is it safe to go to the dentist during COVID-19? You may be wondering whether you should schedule a dental appointment during the pandemic. This is a normal question that many patients have had.
When the pandemic first began, many dental offices closed their doors entirely for a period of time. Some dental offices only treated emergent cases during the first few months of the pandemic. Now, as it appears the pandemic is not going away anytime soon, many dental offices have resumed regular preventive dental care.
Should you go to the dentist for a routine dental cleaning at this point in the COVID-19 pandemic? Only you can decide whether or not you feel comfortable doing so. But here’s what you should consider to help you make your decision.
What Safety Precautions is Creekview Dental Taking to Ensure Patient Safety?
We are following our state mandated implementation plan for the management and treatment of non-emergent and elective dental care, which includes the following procedures:
- Patients are required to complete a pre-appointment screening form which asks you to evaluate your own health status in regards to COVID-19 symptoms and possible exposure.
- When you arrive in the office you will answer the same health screening questions again that you answered on your pre-appointment form and have your temperature taken.
- Only the patient should report for their own appointment unless a caregiver is needed to accompany you.
- Masks should be worn at all times in the office until a staff member asks you to remove it to receive dental care. Masks should be worn properly, covering the mouth and nose.
- Hand sanitizer will be provided as you enter the office and we ask everyone who enters the office to please use it.
- Social distancing is required at all times in our waiting room and throughout the office.
- Appointment scheduling is spaced out so that fewer people are in the waiting room at a time. We ask that you call when you arrive before entering the office. We will let you know when it is safe to enter.
- All magazines, toys, and the coffee maker have been removed from the waiting room for sanitary purposes.
- We have added plexiglass partitions to the reception counter and consultation room.
- HEPA air filters are used throughout the office for air purification purposes.
- The dentist, hygienists, and assistants will be dressed in full PPE (personal protective equipment).
- After you are seated in a procedural room, you will be required to do a preprocedural mouth rinse of hydrogen peroxide for 30 seconds.
These safety precautions will go a long way toward preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our office. We ask that all patients do their due diligence to ensure they have not been exposed and are at no risk of spreading COVID-19 before coming to our office.
Is There Still a Risk of Catching COVID-19 at the Dentist’s Office?
There may still be a very minimal risk of being exposed to COVID-19 in our office. Unfortunately there is no way to guarantee that it won’t happen, despite all of the precautions put in place. But the risk is extremely low and regular cleanings are important to your dental health. In fact the risk is higher that you could experience adverse dental effects from skipping a routine cleaning and exam.
Creekview Dental Makes Your Safety the Top Priority
Dental cleanings are important, but your overall health is more important. If you are immunocompromised in any way or if you are at an increased risk of adverse effects of contracting COVID-19, it may be in your best interest to postpone your dental cleaning. Creekview Dental would be glad to reschedule your appointment to a later date if you would feel more comfortable with that arrangement. Feel free to contact us with any questions you have about our COVID-19 protocols.
Call (651) 738-8204 today or contact us to schedule or reschedule an appointment. We want to reassure you that we are taking every possible precaution to make our office safe for our patients.
