Dear Petaluma Endodontics Patients,
We hope this message finds you in good health and spirits. Our country has been through a lot over the last few months and all of us are looking for a return to normalcy. A lot has changed in our world, but Petaluma Endodontics’ commitment to safety remains of paramount importance.
Our practice has always been focused on infection control, and in addition to what we have always done, we are augmenting our protocols to comply with recommend by the American Dental Association (ADA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA).
Our response to COVID19- is both comprehensive and meticulous. During our time giving limited care, we have worked diligently to enhance our facility and our procedures to provide the safe, exceptional care that our patients have been accustomed to. Here are a few of the measures we have implemented:
- We have engaged our entire team in additional infection control training and supplemental ongoing training related to COVID-19.
- We will be modifying our scheduling and minimizing the number of people entering our office at any given time. We are asking that anyone accompanying you to your appointment to wait in their car during the appointment time.
- We are taking temperature of every team member every morning and every patient upon their arrival in our office.
- Hand sanitizer has always and will continue to be readily available. All patients will be asked to wipe down their phones prior to entering the practice. All patients are asked to wear a mask to their appointment until they are seated in their private operatory. All of our patients are asked to use hand sanitizer upon entering our office.
- All internal doors will be propped open in order to minimize contact of surfaces. All common areas, including the front desk, will be sanitized regularly.
- We have upgraded our personal protective equipment for our team. Our front office team members will be wearing masks. Our clinical team members will be wearing gowns where needed, masks (level 3, KN95, N95- depending on the procedure), goggles, or face shields during the procedure.
- We have always used the rubber dam for our root canal procedures and we will continue to do so. The rubber dam has been shown to greatly reduce the aerosols during a dental procedure.
If you have any questions regarding any of the above, please don’t hesitate to ask one of our team members. Thank you for your trust and confidence in our practice. Petaluma Endodontics is looking forward to making your endodontic treatment a positive experience.
Sincerely,
The Team at Petaluma Endodontics
IMPORTANT PRACTICE INFORMATION REGARDING COVID-19
In recognition of ongoing news reports and the continued spread of the COVID-19 virus, we realize our patients have questions. As dedicated health care professionals, we want you to know that we remain as diligent as ever in protecting the health and safety of our patients and staff. Here is a list of the steps we are taking to make sure our team and patients are safe:
- We will reschedule patients who exhibit cold, flu-like, and/or COVID-19 symptoms.
- We will use a special COVID-19 patient screening form for every patient.
- We are taking the temperature of all patients when they enter the office.
- We will always clean surfaces after each patient using a disinfectant/decontaminant commonly used in operating rooms.
- We will always use masks, gloves, and eye protection.
- We will always use hand sanitizer before seeing each patient as well as have patients do the same.
- We will always regularly wipe down bathrooms and the lobby area with disinfectants.
Symptoms of coronavirus are reported as flu-like, with varying degrees of severity. While we do not know everything about this virus to date, individuals who are elderly and/or immunocompromised appear to be the most at risk of a severe infection. To ensure your health and safety, and the health and safety of everyone at our practice, please reschedule your appointment if you or a member of your household has a cough, fever, and/or flu-like symptoms. In addition, please reschedule your appointment if you have traveled to any areas within the past 14 days that are at high risk for contracting the coronavirus.
We thank you in advance and extend our gratitude for your understanding and cooperation. Together, we can help keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office, and one of our staff members will be more than happy to assist you.
For further information, including measures to keep yourself healthy, visit the following links: