Reopening a dental practice post COVID-19 is a welcome event. But while opening the doors is a welcome event, it's not as simple as opening the doors and getting back to normal.
We have new guidelines to follow. We have new demands from our government, team members, and even patients. Expectations of our practices have never been greater. Our patients need to be confident that they are safe in our offices. Our team members need to as well. Thus, we must take very deliberate steps to ensure our practices are a safe, welcoming place for everyone.
We've been monitoring the best and latest information for you to help you successfully reopen your practice. Here are key steps to minimize health risks when reopening your practice post COVID-19.
Prepare Your Dental Practice for New Oversight and Regulations
Regulations and oversights used to move slowly. COVID-19 changed that. In a matter of days, we were told to cancel elective dental procedures. That forced many dental practices to close completely. Others were open only for emergency visits.
As we reopen, consider whether you want to perform emergency procedures or even virtual consultations should COVID-19 flare up again. Put a plan in place should regulations return over the the next few months. Will you perform emergency procedures? Will you conduct virtual consults? If so, how? Who will handle those? Will you promote that your office is open for emergencies and virtual consultations? If so, have your messaging in place so you can get started quickly.
Similarly, connect with reliable communities associated with your practice on social media channels. There, you can connect with other people in various areas navigating the post-COVID-19 world. You can shared obtain resources and information to maintain flexibility and be in a better position to navigate any future disruptions.
Establish Additional Safety Procedures for Post-COVID-19 Heath Risks
Review the ADA Interim Guidance for Minimizing Risk of COVID-19 Transmission. In there, you will find guidance for minimizing risks before dental care starts, during dental care, and after dental care is provided.
For example, before dental care begins, the ADA recommends you address the following three issues.
1. Dentist and Dental Team Preparation
We must have procedures in place to ensure the safety of the staff. This includes ensuring all dental health care personnel have received their seasonal flu vaccine. Any team members experiencing influenza-like-illnesses should be allowed and advised leave from work. Those who are of older age, have pre-existing, medically compromised conditions, or low immunity should take extra precautions.
Practices must also ensure that team members self-monitor, check their temperatures, and remain alert to symptoms of COVID-19.
Other preparation suggestions include:
- Being diligent in ordering personal protective equipment. These items may be in short supply from time to time.
- Removing magazines, reading materials, toys, and other objects that may be touched by others and which are not easily disinfected.
- Printing and placing signage in the dental office for instructing patients on standard recommendations for respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette and social distancing.
- Scheduling appointments apart enough to minimize contact among patients.
- Preventing patients from bringing unnecessary companions to their appointments.
Together these preparations will minimize the spread of COVID-19 for everyone in the office. Communicate these procedures to all staff and patients so they can comply. They will also be comforted that you are taking these precautions.
2. Screening for COVID-19 Status and Triaging for Dental Treatment
While minimizing the spread is important, the ADA also recommends putting in place screening and triaging procedures.
Specifically, the safest way to reopen is a phased approach, focusing only on emergency or urgent care.
While doing so, the ADA suggests making every effort to interview patients by telephone, text, or video before their visits. Utilize these COVID-19 interview and assessment guidelines from the CDC when interviewing patients. Review the ADA interim guidelines for how to handle patients with various symptoms. The ADA recommends that patients to be seen seen in dental settings should be -
- asymptomatic patients
- patients who have tested negative for COVID-19 infection or
- recovered patients (after 3 days since the resolution of signs and symptoms)
You can make screening simpler by making use of pre-registration digital patient screening systems. These help you screen and register your patients' appointments along with their signed informed consents - all before they visit your clinic!
3. Take precautions
Precautions upon patient arrival -
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