YES…It’s SAFE to go to the Dentist!
We take your health, safety and COVID-19 virus very seriously! To prevent the spread of the virus from any patient or team member we are taking the following steps.
- Patient may be asked to wait in their car upon arrival to allow for some social distancing
- Pre-appointment screening (temperature check and questionnaire)
- Frequent disinfecting of common area surfaces
- Sneeze guards
- Disposable plastic barriers for keyboards and keypads
- Double masks worn by employees (N95 masks plus level 3)
- Face shields
- Protective eyewear
- Hair caps, gowns
- Air Purifiers with UV LIGHT AND HEPA FILTER
- Extra-oral vacuum systems
- Rubber dams
Welcome Back! Office hours from 9:00am am to 4:00 pm. Please call our office at telephone number 626-844-7778 to schedule an appointment.
As the world begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, one question that I’m often asked is “Do you think it’s safe to go to the Dentist?” My immediate answer is an overwhelming, “YES!”
Dental offices are one of the SAFEST places you can be. Dentistry is a profession of obsessive-compulsive cleaners. Dental treatment rooms are cleaned with bactericidal and viricidal cleaners before & after each patient visit. We utilize barrier protection to prevent germs from spreading when we touch things. All instruments are heat sterilized from our autoclave and used only on you before they are sterilized again. In addition to utilizing many disposable products, we wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the safety of our patients.
Recently, you may have heard about aerosols and their potential danger, especially as it relates to COVID-19. Aerosols are a part of our daily lives. When you speak, cough, sneeze, laugh and breathe, you generate aerosols from your body into the surrounding environment. Our human bodies have a well-developed immune system to protect us from any potential dangers that we may be exposed to from aerosols. As it specifically relates to aerosols generated in a dental office, the American Dental Association (ADA) and our local California Dental Association (CDA) have been leaders in helping dental offices remain safe before, during and after the pandemic. With guidelines that have been developed through science and fact, this includes improved safety measures which were developed with both the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Dentistry was safe before the COVID-19 outbreak and it remains safe after. To date, there has not been one instance of a major COVID-19 outbreak from a dental office, throughout the entire world.
Since the pandemic began, dental offices (including ours) have been taking additional safety measures to protect our patients and our team. These include:
• Social distancing
• COVID-19 prescreening with a few medical questions before the appointment and on the day of the appointment including taking temperatures, blood pressure and Oxygen saturation
• Limiting the number of people who are in the office at all times
• Sanitization of patient hands & devices
• Increased PPE for the dental team. All staff wear mask the whole time
• Limiting of aerosol generating procedures
Our office is even going above and beyond by utilization of both intraoral & extraoral aerosol removal devices and improving our air filtration with air purification devices & UV light sterilization.
These additional measures in addition to our regular infection control procedures make our office one of the safest places you can be.
WE WANT YOU TO ALWAYS FEEL COMFORTABLE & SAFE AT OUR OFFICE. In addition, we want our team members to feel safe in our work environment.
As we begin performing routine dental care, you can be assured that our entire team has been in constant communication during the shutdown period, we have studied the latest information & research on how to best care for our patients, and we have implemented additional protocols to keep you, and us, safe during your visit.
There’s a lot of uncertainty when it comes to COVID-19. One thing you can be certain of is that going to the Dentist is, and always has been, safe. We will keep you inform from this day forward of what we are doing so your Dental visit will be as comfortable and safe, just like before.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Dr. Reynaldo P. Barbon & Staff
