Is It Safe Going to the Dentist?

                                                      Karen fogging the treatment room

Here at Judy Huey DDS, PC, we’ve been open for patient treatment for the past 2 months.  We are grateful for the opportunity to see our patients and give them the treatment that they need and deserve.

We have found that the majority of you are dealing with stress from the pandemic and all of the craziness out there in the world.  We’ve been seeing more jaw issues from clenching and teeth grinding, more gum disease from patients who are overdue for their hygiene appointments (since we were shut down for 2 months) and more cavities from increased snacking while sheltering at home.

Every day, Teri and Cathy are busy with phone calls from patients who are anxious to come in and also from patients who feel uncomfortable coming to the dental office, especially with what’s happening with the increasing number of Covid 19 cases here in Arizona.

As always, our number one priority is keeping everyone (patients and staff)  safe during their dental visit.  We have always adhered to strict infection control guidelines utilizing universal precautions established by the ADA and CDC.

Here is our protocol:

1.  You’ll notice that our front door and interior door is propped open so you don’t have to touch any door knobs.  We have reconfigured our waiting room for social distancing and ask that you don’t bring anyone with you who doesn’t have an appointment.  For parents, be sure you have child care arranged.
2. You are required to wear a mask to enter the building and our office.
3. You’ll fill out a screening form asking you if you have any Covid 19 symptoms and we’ll take your forehead temperature.  If your temperature is over 100.4 F, we’ll reschedule your appointment.  We realize that you’re coming in from 105+F temperatures so we may have you sit quietly to cool down and we’ll retake your temperature.
4. All dental staff have their temperatures taken every morning as well.
5. You’ll see protective plexiglass shields at the front desk.
6. We clean and disinfect the pens and clipboards that are used at the front desk throughout the day as well as the waiting room furniture.
7. There are hand sanitizers throughout the office for your use.
8. You’ll rinse with a preprocedural mouth rinse of 1.5% hydrogen peroxide or molecular iodine which will reduce the amount of bacteria or viruses in your mouth.
9. You’ll see us outfitted in our PPE – gloves, masks, face shields and surgical caps. We also change our lab coats after every patient when aerosols are generated.
10. We have IQ air purification units in the office.  IQ air purifiers are Swiss made.  It’s HyperHEPA filtration is tested and certified to filter 99.5% of all particles down to 0.003 microns.  The smallest coronavirus particles are typically 0.06 microns.
11. Due to increased Personal Protection Equipment costs in order to comply with OSHA and CDC guidelines, we will be charging a one time $15 fee.

COLD FOGGING

Because Covid 19 is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets, we in the dental profession face unique challenges when working in patient’s mouths.  Because aerosols are generated through the use of our dental drills and ultrasonics during hygiene visits, we are using ultra-low volume fogging of 200 ppm hypochlorous acid (HOCl) after each patient visit to combat any viruses in the air.  Airlines, hotels, hospitals and cruise lines are using this chemical fogging technology to safely disinfect public spaces.  Research shows that 200 ppm of HOCl neutralized the avian flu virus with 5 seconds.

What is hypochlorous acid and is it safe?  HOCl is naturally produced in our bodies to combat infection so it is extremely safe.  It’s used in eye rinses and wound cleansers.  It doesn’t affect skin or eyes or lungs.  It has a faint chlorine smell which dissipates and patients have commented on how fresh and clean our dental office smells.  UVL foggers are extremely loud (similar to a loud vacuum cleaner) so don’t be startled when you hear it while in our office.  I actually like hearing that sound because I know that it is giving us that extra layer of protection.  Click here to see the fogger in action.

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Please feel free to give us a call (480-767-0132) if you have any questions after reading this newsletter.  We understand your concerns if you wish to reschedule your dental appointment.  However, we don’t want your oral health to suffer due to postponing your scheduled visit.

As always, stay safe and be well.

Dr. Judy, Teri, Cathy, Karen, Val and Lisa