We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. We would like to inform you that our offices are reopening to regular care and hours starting Monday, May 18, 2020. Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: Our Commitment To Your Safety!
Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it is both safe and comfortable. We want to tell you about the infection control procedures we follow in our practice to keep patients and staff safe. Below is a list of the many precautions we here at American Dental Associates, Ltd./Archer Dental Specialists, Inc. are taking to keep our valued patients safe during this trying time. We have installed or implemented the following precautionary measures at our offices:
Iwave C (Incoming Air Into The Office):
- Self-cleaning, bi-polar ionization generator for actively treating a building’s air quality.
- Kills mold, bacteria and viruses in the coil and living space.
- Reduces allergens, odors, smoke, and particles
Aerosol Evacuation System (Outgoing Air From The Office):
- Aerosol is the number one concern in the dental field in regards to COVID-19. To alleviate this issue and to improve indoor air quality, we have installed a high-speed extra oral suction unit above each and every patient chair and to further enhance this mechanism we have installed UV lights to kill any bacteria or viruses before they can be dispersed into the air. This system allows our air to be replenished/cleaned every 4-6 minutes.
- Reducing bacteria, viruses, and mold
- Reduces the risk of cold, flu, allergies, and other illness associated with air handling systems.
Medify Air Purifier:
- Medical Grade H13 Filter 99.97 particle removal.
- Cleans a room up to 1,600 sq. ft in one hour / 840 sq. ft in 30 minutes. / 420 sq. ft in 15 min
PPE:
- Protective Glasses, Masks, Gloves, Face Shields
- We have installed separation screens at the front desk for added protection.
- All patients will be required to wear a mask at all times, while in the office until you are seated, and it is time to see the doctor.
Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up to date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued. We do this to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to each agencies’ recommendations.
You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example:
- Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions via text/email. You will be asked some of those same questions again when you arrive in the office. All pertinent paperwork will also be sent to you prior to your appointment and must be filled out and submitted prior to your appointment.
- We will be taking your temperature before your appointment. You will also be asked to wash your hands and rinse your mouth with Peridex or Peroxide prior to seeing the doctor. *** Please be rest assured all of our doctors and staff are screened on a daily basis and their temperatures are taken as well. ***
- We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will also find some in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed.
- You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
- We are utilizing enhanced cleaning procedures and sanitizing all surfaces, chairs, instruments, and equipment in the exam rooms between each patient visit.
- Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you are offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
- We are implementing a new QR Code System when you arrive for your appointment. It will be located right outside our entrances. You will use your phone camera to hover over the QR Code. It will prompt a link for you to follow so you can check in electronically. This will notify us you have arrived for your appointment. Please return to your vehicle and wait as we will text you further directions at that time.
- Due to increased need for specialized personal protective equipment (PPE) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) protocol to provide a safe environment for you, there has been a new code associated with every procedure. As a result, you will be responsible for an additional fee of $5.
- We assure you we will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time. This might mean that if there are more than two people in the waiting area, you will be requested to wait in your vehicle. We will then notify you when you can enter the office for your appointment.
- We ask that you DO NOT bring family members into the office during your appointment unless a guardian is required for the procedure.
We are seeing all types of appointments, however, if you or any family member has tested positive for COVID-19, we request that you wait 3-4 weeks to schedule your appointment. If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, diarrhea, loss of smell or taste, please call to cancel your appointment and we will be happy to reschedule for a later date. In addition, please call your PCP immediately.
We understand that these are trying times but look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at 773-284-1645 or email us at info@atooth.com.
Thank you for being our patient. We here at American Dental Associates, Ltd./Archer Dental Specialists, Inc. value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors, and friends.
Sincerely,
Dhiraj Sharma, D.D.S. and Team