At Rio Vista Family Dentistry, we’re open and accepting patients for preventive dental care in San Diego. But you may be wondering if it’s truly safe to see the dentist during COVID-19. In this blog, we’ll discuss a few of the changes that Dr. Joy Bonifacio and the team at Rio Vista Family Dentistry have implemented to keep our patients and our staff safe.
Social Distancing & Curbside Appointment Check-Ins
First, we are implementing social distancing precautions for our patients. We request that you come in alone without any spouses, children, or other people, unless you require assistance to get into our office.
When you arrive at our office, you will call us to confirm that you are here and ready for your appointment. When it’s time to see you, we will call you back so that you can come into our office immediately and avoid waiting in the lobby.
Mandatory Employee & Patient Screenings
We are conducting mandatory employee screenings before work, and we enforce sick leave policies requiring any employee suffering from communicable disease to stay home until they’re cleared to return by a physician. In addition, all employees are required to wear masks at all times, and have their temperatures checked daily.
We also have implemented a patient questionnaire and screening based on CDC and ADA guidelines. You will have to answer some questions about recent travel, exposure to COVID-19, and symptoms you’ve experienced that could indicate infection. All patients will also undergo temperature checks before their appointments.
Enhanced Operatory Sterilization Procedures
We follow all CDC, ADA and OSHA operatory sterilization procedures in our operatories, and clean and sanitize all surfaces and equipment between patients to minimize the potential spread of disease via bodily fluids like saliva droplets.
In addition, we are using PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in our office including gowns, protective eyewear, face shields, masks, and gloves. All PPE is either discarded immediately after use, or is left in the operatory to be collected and sterilized before it is used again, minimizing the risk of cross-contamination.
Disinfection Of Common Areas
We are taking additional precautions in common areas of our office. We have removed all magazines and pamphlets, and begun disinfecting lobby surfaces and patient restrooms every hour with a CDC-approved sterilization agent called Cavicide.
According to the CDC, regular hand washing is one of the very best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, so patients will also be encouraged to wash their hands before and after their appointments with soap and water to further minimize the risk of spreading infectious pathogens.
Come To Rio Vista Family Dentistry – Get The Dental Care You Need In San Diego
At Rio Vista Family Dentistry, our team is taking every possible precaution to keep our patients safe during the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. To learn more about how we’re protecting your health or to schedule a consultation in San Diego, feel free to contact us online or give us a call at (619) 299-1122.
