Message Regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19)

We have improved our practice to protect our patients and employees from COVID-19. Please understand that these procedures will be updated to always be in compliance with the latest CDC guidelines. All of our staff wear masks inside the office. We ask that you wear a mask while you are in common areas such as reception. Of course, you won’t wear a mask while your teeth are cleaned!

Betsy will continue to ask screening questions to determine your COVID-19 exposure risk prior to your appointment. Our reception area is open. If you are not comfortable waiting inside with a mask, let us know and you can wait in your car for your appointment. We ask that you wear a mask during entry and exit. We have an AprilAire medical grade filtration system on both of our HVAC sytems and four UV lights (one for each treatment room) that are inside our air ducts. In addition, all rooms in our practice have a Medify filtration unit which turns over 450 sq ft of air every 30 minutes.

To reduce aerosols which transmit coronavirus, our patients rinse with Crest ProHealth prior to any procedure. Crest ProHealth (cetylpyridinium chloride) has been shown to decrease aerosolized bacteria by up to 97%. We know that the active ingredient, cetylpyridinium chloride, is a quaternary ammonium which rapidly inactivates coronavirus in less than a minute. We have always used Crest ProHealth pre-rinse because of its effectiveness against bacteria and the influenza virus, but these days we time how long our patients swish! For the aerosols created by our water-based instruments, we use a high volume evacuation system called the ReLeaf for our cleaning appointments. The ReLeaf is a small, soft, silicone leaf shape that fits next to your cheek and suctions away aerosols and fluids. Our patients love it because it makes their cleanings more comfortable than ever before. We love it because it decreases aerosols in the air by 90%. It’s an improvement we plan on keeping!

We have installed a Class B autoclave which conforms to the European EN 13060 standard. We expect that OSHA will one day upgrade to these more stringent guidelines, but most American dental practices use only a Class N autoclave. The difference is that Class B autoclaves utilize a vacuum pump to completely remove air from the chamber, which enables steam to better penetrate the load. Class N autoclaves use steam from a boiler or generator to create downward displacement, which pushes air out of the chamber. Class B penetrates deeper for a deep clean of instruments and keeps the air clean. Here is a link for more information: Autoclave Info

All treatment staff wear masks at all times. As always, all instruments are sterilized in a high-temperature autoclave. We disinfect all the hard surfaces in our treatment rooms between every patient. Where possible, we use single-use, disposable items. We are committed to keeping you as safe as possible while you are in our office. Dentistry has always fought cavity bugs, coronavirus is just our newest enemy. We were so glad to find out that the disinfectant, mouthrinse, air-conditioning system, and autoclave systems that we’ve always used are all effective against coronavirus. Sometimes, it pays to be a “clean freak.”

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Stay well!