Ideas to Consider for Reopening – Tuesday, April 21, 2020 9:59AM

This is the first of several brainstorming posts.  While we don’t necessarily endorse every idea listed below, it’s time to start thinking about processes you might want to enact upon reopening.  From smileperfected.com  https://www.smileperfected.com/reopen-dental-office-post-covid-19/

10 Points to Consider when Reopening Dental Office

  1. Patient Communication: Most Important Step. Explain how the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) works, to every patient.
  2. Stagger Patients: Do not stack dental appointments – Ramp-up slowly. Only use chairs 1-3-5.
  3. Change Appointment Confirmation Style: Explain new safety policies over phone appointment confirmation calls. Ask if patient has any symptoms of fever.
  4. Modified Patient Check-In: Reception room is closed. Check-in is done over the phone. Patients wait to be called-in for appointment once previous patient is gone and sanitation is complete.
  5. Office entry Restricted: Only patients may enter office for appointment. Spouses, friends caregivers and parents need to wait outside. They can assist patient to the front door and hand off to sensitization technician.
  6. Remove Non-essential Items: Any non-clinical items should be stored. Dental display models, flyers, brochures, nightguard samples, implant displays, etc.
  7. Dental Supply Deliveries: All supply deliveries from package carriers or dental suppliers must be accepted outside and sanitized once in practice.
  8. Contain all Aerosol Spray: Use rubber dam to contain spray. Dental Hygienists should have a dental assistant help them and use a high volume ejector (HVE) for hygiene procedures.
  9. Sanitization Technician / Environmental Dental Assistant: A new dental position. A roaming dental assistant is most qualified for this new job. They are responsible for sanitizing all areas of concern.
  10. Take Patient Temperatures: Most difficult for dentists. You are not diagnosing or recommending medical steps to the patient based on temperature. You are simply protecting yourself, your team and your patients.