As Georgia and other states continue to move through reopening, I wanted to share with you some of what my office is doing to ensure our patients are safe when here for their upcoming appointment. We understand that life during and after COVID-19 will look and feel different, but what won’t change is our dedication and commitment to ensuring our patients receive the best care possible.
We continue to keep our patients’ safety top of mind in our office. To adjust to the changing landscape of dental care during and after COVID-19, we have established some new protocols and precautions. Here are some of the things that we are doing post COVID-19 stay-at-home orders in our office.
Taking temperatures
Before every visit we will be taking not only your temperature, but our own too. We want to make sure everyone is healthy and there are no underlying concerns that would impact the safest care.
While it might seem like something small and meaningless, it isn’t. That temperature might make all the difference in providing safe care for our patients. We want to make sure both our patients and our staff are healthy and available for all visits.
Hand sanitizing
As always, before entering a treatment room we will be using hand sanitizer. We will also be washing our hands before and after every visit. This thoroughness in ensuring cleanliness has always been important to us. But we are taking that added measure of using hand sanitizer before we enter your room to provide treatment. There will also be hand sanitizer available for you to use as well.
This can be an easy way to add more safety and confidence in not only your patients receiving care, but for your staff too. A little bit goes a long way.
Questionnaires
We will also be providing a four point questionnaire to each of our patients. This was created to assess if you are at risk or have been around anyone that might be at risk for COVID-19. It won’t take up much time, but it will ensure we all feel safe with providing care while also ensuring you are healthy and sage as well.
It might seem like a waste of paper, but it isn’t. The simple four questions allow us to feel confident and can help our patients share their history in a timely manner. It’s a win-win for us all.
Gaps in scheduling
One other thing we are doing is scheduling with gaps. While we won’t be able to see as many patients as before to start, this will help us add just another layer of security and safety. The schedule will stagger patients so that not all are coming in at the same time. We don’t want a crowded waiting area.
As with many of you, we are so excited to be able to provide care for our patients again. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns about how to maintain a safe dental office during and after this pandemic.