As the country slowly begins to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic, health and safety are at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Since many of us have been in self-quarantine for a few months now, it may be time for your biannual dental cleaning. To keep you safe while providing the care you need, your Brampton dentist has established a variety of new infection control protocols that you’ll notice at your next visit. Here’s what to expect during your appointment as your dentist reopens.
Making Your Appointment
When you call to make your appointment, you may find that you are offered fewer options than before the pandemic. This is due to sequenced patient scheduling, which allows more time for cleaning and physical space between patients while coming and going. Additionally, they have reserved some hours for at-risk patients only. If you have an underlying health, your team will work with you to ensure your appointment is as safe as possible.
Arriving to Your Appointment
You’ll be asked to check in for your appointment from the comfort of your car. This “virtual waiting room” minimizes your exposure to other patients. When you enter the practice, you’ll also notice a few changes in the reception area, like:
- Fewer chairs to encourage social distancing.
- No magazines, toys, or other frequently touched objects.
- Strategically placed clear plastic barriers.
Before Your Appointment
Before your appointment begins, you’ll be asked to take a few extra precautions. First, you’ll answer a quick health questionnaire and have your temperature taken with a no-touch device. Remember, you may be contagious with COVID-19 even if you’re feeling well. Then, before you enter the clinical area of the practice, you’ll be asked to use a hospital-grade sanitizer to disinfect your hands.
During Your Appointment
New air filters have been added to each treatment room to ensure the air is cleaner than ever. As your appointment begins, you’ll notice that your dental team looks slightly different than the last time you saw them. They’ve enhanced their working wardrobe with new personal protective equipment like:
- Face shields and ASTM level three masks.
- Protective coats and hats.
- Disposable shoe coverings.
After Your Appointment
Before the pandemic, your dental treatment may have been completed over the course of several appointments. However, to reduce how many times you need to leave your house to visit the practice, your dentist is offering expanded appointments. This way, you can get more work done in a single, convenient visit. If you begin to experience a fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, or any other COVID-19 symptoms withing 14 days of your appointment, inform your dentist as soon as possible.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have changed how your “routine” dental visits will look, but it hasn’t changed your dentist’s commitment to your health. If you need to come in for your dental cleaning, rest assured that they are taking every precaution to keep you safe.
About the Practice
At Torbram Dental, nothing is more important than the wellbeing of our patients, staff, and the community of Brampton. Now and always, we are meeting the high sanitation standards set forth by the Public Health Agency of Canada. After closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, we have also decided to add 21 additional safety protocols. If you’d like to learn more about our Commitment to Safety, you can reach us at our website or at +1(905)792-7163.