Choosing 38th Street Dental What To Expect When You Arrive For Your Appointment
Thank you for entrusting 38th Street Dental with your dental care. You may be aware of the ever-evolving concerns about the Coronavirus. Our team and doctors are dedicated to your safety and maintain strict adherence to these protocols that are science based. With this in mind, we would like to share with you what to expect during your visits with 38th Street Dental.
Our goal is to ensure a safe environment for everyone in our office. If you have symptoms of cough, respiratory distress, or a fever, we are asking that you reschedule your appointment by calling us at 512-458-6222. If you have been in close contact with a COVID-19 patient or have traveled out of the country recently we ask you to reschedule your appointment.
Your Safety and the Safety of our Team IS OUR PRIORITY
38th Street Dental has always met or exceeded the highest standards of infection control. In this dramatically different biologic environment, you will see the same. As the environmental demands of COVID-19 evolved, we immediately pivoted to the recommendations issued from our governing authorities. First and foremost, the Center for Disease Control, and then secondarily, the recommendations issued American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance that may issue.
In order to protect our team, our patients, your families, and the community we have implemented and trained our team on the latest safety measures.
Safety and Sanitation Policy
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
Pre-Appointment Screening
We work vigorously to recognize when a patient might need to consider rescheduling PRIOR to arriving at the office. We will communicate with you beforehand to ask some basic screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office.
Managed Office Entry-NO CROWDED LOBBY
You will be asked to wait in your car the day of your appointment. When YOUR specific treatment room is available, a text message will be sent to ask you to transit to our office. This coordination will allow us to provide concierge service with minimal social contact. In fact, it is our goal to have your only social contacts be with your clinical provider, one clinical assistant, and perhaps one administration staff during your entire visit. All our our team will be masked per CDC guidelines.
Disinfecting All Surfaces Often
Multiple times each day, common areas like door handles, counters, reception areas, and all spaces where public interaction occurs are cleaned and disinfected.
Additional Safety Measures GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND
- You will be required to don a mask to enter our office. If you do not have one, there will be a mask available on the hand hygiene station at our entrance.
- Please do not bring miscellaneous items to your treatment appointment (ex. drinks, coats, backpacks, hand bags, books, etc), but a warm sweater or lightweight jacket since our office is often cold.
- We will ask you to use hand sanitizer as you enter and leave the practice.
- Minors may be accompanied by one adult in order to check-in and complete forms. We will kindly ask this adult to return to their car once the patient has been seated in a treatment room.
- Taking temperatures on each team member twice daily along with daily health status screening.
- Your temperature and health status will be collected upon arrival.
- Plexiglass breath shields have been installed at front check in and check out areas.
- All staff are equipped with PPE, including N-95 or KN95 masks, gloves, and face shields.
- Our clinical staff are using intra-oral evacuation systems to reduce aerosols.
- Examination rooms are disinfected after every patient exam, including all surfaces, instrumentation, and equipment.
- Alcohol sanitizer is available in all areas of our office and its use is encouraged for both our team and patients.
- We are limiting patient encounters with appropriate spacing and limiting the number of patients in the office at one time.
The new airborne transmission prevention guidelines are extremely costly to maintain. During the global pandemic, we ask for a modest PPE surcharge for each of your visits. Please know this is an interim situation related to Covid-19. These costly measures are essential to protect us all.
We are committed to doing everything possible to make your visit safe and pleasant and know you will gladly help us with your support until the threat of COVID-19 is mitigated.
