As this coronavirus situation has unfolded, all of us – your dentist, the dental staff, and our patients – have been faced with questions about how to lead our daily lives while being told we must stay at home. And we’ve all felt how uncomfortable and frustrating the uncertainty and restrictions can be. My staff and I have seen that those feelings are magnified when your health, or that of a family member, is the cause of that uncertainty.
We’re now getting numerous questions every day from our dental patients about handling their dental appointments and needs since the stay-at-home measures went into place. We hope that by sharing the answers to the most common questions that you’ll feel more confident in dealing with your dental health during this time.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is my dental office open?
At our office, we have chosen to follow the State and local Guidelines and reopened on May 4th.
Dental offices in Hawaii were allowed to see patients who had a dental emergency from March 30th to April 30th, and are now allowed to open for all dental procedures and not just emergencies.
If you do not feel comfortable coming into the practice then you can schedule a TeleDentistry Appointment. This video chat (AKA TeleHealth) allows the patient and dentist to have a consultation to assess your problem without you needing to come into the office. After the consultation Dr. Ho can determine what the appropriate next steps may be.
What about my dental checkup that’s scheduled?
If you had a dental cleaning appointment scheduled for the end of March, April or May 2020, we should have already contacted you. If you were due for your dental cleaning during that time, please call us to schedule. We want to make sure you are seen for your routine checkup and cleaning.
What happens when I get to the dental office?
This may vary based on the protocols put in place by any individual dental office to maintain social distancing. In our office we have implemented specific measures to maintain your safety. Our office will not allow patient visits to overlap, our staff wears all proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and increased sterilization all around the office.
We ask that patients check-in by coming into the office and letting us know you have arrived. We may ask you to wait in the hallway in case we are checking out another patient to limit contact with other patients. We are also spacing appointments so that no two patients should ever encounter each other. We will require you wear a mask when entering the building and the office and will have you wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before your appointment. A mouthwash will be offered to you before starting your dental procedures as well. Your safety and reducing the possible spread of the virus between patients is of the utmost importance.
We will also ask you some questions, and for everyone’s safety you’ll want to answer honestly. These questions may include:
• Have you had symptoms commonly associated with COVID-19? (common symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, runny nose, or sore throat)
• Within the past 14 days have you travelled by airplane?
• Within the past 14 days have you been in close proximity (less than six feet) at a gathering of 10
or more persons?
• Within the past 14 days have you had close contact with a person who has been confirmed
positive or suspected to be positive for COVID-19?
We will require you to verbally consent to a Patient Request for Treatment, Representations and Consent document.
What safety measures will the office take if I have to come in for a dental treatment?
As health-care providers, dentists and their teams are trained on the CDC guidelines for infection control and using the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as facemask mask, face shield, gloves and gown worn over clothes/scrubs. If for some reason an office doesn’t have appropriate PPE available, they’ll refer you to another dental professional for your emergency treatment. (In our office we don’t anticipate that happening and as of now we have a good supply of PPE.) When we provide treatment, we’ll attempt to minimize the use of equipment that creates airborne spray. This is a precautionary measure to limit the potential spread of the virus since any patient could be positive but undiagnosed and not yet exhibiting symptoms.
Our office team has been trained in the latest ways to minimize the possibility of transmitting the virus. In our office we are requiring every patient to wear a mask upon entering the building and office, wash their hands and use hand sanitizer upon entering. We’re disinfecting every doorknob and countertop. From the front desk to the treatment rooms everything is wiped down between patient visits and at the end of each day. We are going the extra mile to make sure every inch of the treatment areas and equipment are disinfected.
If I’m missing my checkup or wishing to postpone a bit longer, should I do anything differently?
Make sure you are brushing and flossing. Do everything as you would normally. It’s never been more important to do the best job possible to maintain your oral health. Since many of us will have extra time on our hands, make sure you brush at least twice a day for two minutes.
If you feel like you want to take extra steps to protect your hygiene during this time, here are a few ideas:
1. Use a powered toothbrush.
2. Use an irrigation device.
3. Use your favorite mouth wash
4. Floss – if you don’t currently floss it’s a great opportunity to start. You have the extra time and once you’re in the habit you’ll like the extra clean feeling while also strengthening your gums!