Dear Valued Patient,
We are truly excited to have the opportunity to welcome you back! As we move closer to reopening, we are actively looking into various scenarios of increasing dental services for you. Of course, our social responsibility and concern for your safety are paramount in any decisions we make. We will not consider expanding our current level of service (which right now amounts to emergency and urgent care only), until we have the blessing of both the Chief Medical Officer (and the Minister of Health) as well as the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario.
Although a phased approach to expanding services will likely occur, we have already taken definitive action to minimize aerosols, ensure social distancing, and to heighten our surface disinfection protocols.
We are doing everything possible to go above and beyond; ensuring your health and safety. Salvaggio Dentistry has always utilized personal protective equipment (PPE) that has exceeded all CDC guidelines, however, in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic we have instituted additional guidelines and protocols to ensure your safety. Furthermore, our office has always been a leader in infection control and aerosol management (we’ve had hospital grade air purifiers long before covid-19) but now we are taking our protocols to a new level. Below is a list of new measures we are taking:
1. Pre-screening of anyone who walks into our clinic (including all patients, team members, & delivery persons)
2. Non-contact temperature readings of anyone who walks in the facility (including patients and team members)
3. Lung efficiency measurements of every team member (at the beginning and end of day) and patients (to be monitored during appointments)
4. Rearranging of the reception area and the rest of the clinic to ensure appropriate physical distancing
5. Creating a virtual reception area to minimize or eliminate people lingering in the office
6. Maintain distancing in the reception area for essential caregivers and parents of minors if they cannot wait in a vehicle or outside the clinic
7. Removal of all magazines and items that can harbor or transfer germs of any kind in the waiting room
8. Discontinuation of all coffee and beverage services
9. Hand sanitizers will be positioned throughout the clinic
10. Installed sneeze guards or droplet barriers at all reception areas
11. Hand washing and hand sanitizing before all appointments by our team and by our patients
12. Introduction of an oral pre-rinse for all patients to reduce germs in aerosols
13. Enhanced operatory disinfection procedures of all surfaces between patients
14. Regular wiping down of all surfaces, with high level disinfectant, that have contact in common areas (such as door handles and counter tops)
15. New PPE, such as visors, gowns, and N95 masks/respirators worn by all team members to ensure your protection
16. Disinfection of all outside mail and packages that enter building
17. Nightly fogging of the entire office with a hypochlorous acid mist disinfectant to access hard to reach places that can be easily missed
18. Installation of hospital grade air filtration HEPA filters in each operatory and in the waiting room (8 high level filters will be scattered all over the office)
19. Installation of extra-oral vacuum/suction systems in each operatory to eliminate all aerosols during procedures
20. Enhanced HVAC disinfection with UV light to disinfect all return air
While we wait in anticipation of a relaxation of rigid policies and warmer weather, we realize that much has changed in the way dentistry will be provided. However, the more things change the more they stay the same; our goal remains to provide tremendous service with a warm smile and the highest level of care.
As always, if you have ANY dental concerns during this time and would like to discuss them with us, please contact our office. We all hope that you and your families continue to stay safe and healthy!!
Warm regards,
Dr. Joseph Salvaggio and the team at Salvaggio Dentistry