Why it is Safe to Visit Westlake Smile Design During the COVID Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has caught everyone off guard. Little had we thought in 2019 that we would be facing a pandemic on such a wide scale that would lead to countrywide lockdowns and businesses' closure.

But life has to go on. While scientists throughout the world rush to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, the only option to protect yourself and your family from this virus is to maintain social distancing and avoid going outside unnecessarily. Ok, understood. But, "what should I do if I have an appointment already booked with my dentist, or if I have severe pain in one of my teeth? Should I postpone my appointment? Is it dangerous to visit my dentist during the COVID-19 Pandemic?" you might ask yourself.

At Westlake Smile Design, we take the health and wellbeing of our patients very seriously. That is why we fully comply with the latest guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Dental Association (ADA) regarding the treatment of patients in the dental offices. Our dental team goes one step further, and we put in place additional safety measures that allow us to provide better and safer dental services to our esteemed patients.

Safety Measures at Westlake Smile Design During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Here are some of the safety measures and precautions that we have implemented at Westlake Smile Design for the safety and wellbeing of our patients:

Patient Screening

• Pre-Appointment Telephonic Screening - before you make any appointments, our staff will ask a few questions from all the patients, such as their travel history and the possibility of exposure. This is done to ascertain whether they fall under the "high-risk" patient category. Our dentists provide treatment to high-risk patients over the phone, and they are only booked in for an appointment in cases of an emergency.
• Patient Screening at Appointments - every patient - or their loved ones - who arrive for an appointment are first screened for COVID-19 exposure through a questionnaire and contactless thermometry. This allows us to identify patients who are at a higher risk of getting the COVID-19 infection. We only perform treatment on patients who have been screened at the reception.

Staff Screening and Protection

Members of our dental team are frontline fighters in this war against COVID-19. Therefore, we take their health and wellbeing very seriously. We can only keep our patients safe if members of our team remain safe and healthy.

• Daily Screening - every day, we screen our staff for symptoms of COVID-19 infection in the morning as well as at the end of the day.
• Personal Protective Equipment – at Westlake Smile Design, we have given adequate PPEs to our staff who come in contact with the patients. This is to ensure that the patients, as well as the members of our dental team, remain from infections.

Precautionary Measures at the Reception and the Waiting Area

• The reception - at the reception, we have removed all items that can serve as a source of infection, such as pens and pencils. In addition, our staff regularly sanitizes the door handles and the counters to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 infection.
• The Waiting Area - we have removed the coffee machines and magazines from our waiting areas - as these are one of the most common sources of transmission of the COVID-19 infection. We encourage you to enjoy relaxing music or watch TV while you wait for your appointment.
• Ensuring Social Distancing - we have re-arranged the furniture in the waiting area to allow for adequate social distancing. Besides, our staff manages patient appointments accordingly to avoid crowding in the waiting area.
• Availability of the Hand Sanitizers - we have also placed hand sanitizers at several places in our office so that the patients can disinfect their hands after touching something.

Protective Measures During Your Appointment

When you walk into the dentist's operatory, we will ask you to rinse with a special antiviral solution that offers additional protection. We have also installed HEPA compliant air purifiers throughout our office so that our patients remain free from any infection. We also have a state-of-the-art suction system in place that prevents transmission of air, saliva, or blood-borne pathogens.

At Westlake Smile Design, we are doing everything we can to keep our patients safe. We ask our esteemed patients to follow the SOPs and play their part in breaking the chain of the COVID-19 infection. To ensure their safety, we ask our patients to keep a note of the following before visiting us:

• Wearing a mask if your state mandates
• Visiting alone. If you need a caregiver to assist you, please ask them to wait in the car during the appointment.
• Call us and get your appointment rescheduled if someone in your family has been sick in the previous two weeks.
• Allow us some extra time to sanitize the dental office before your appointment.

These SOPs are in place not to create inconvenience but for your safety. So, don't let your oral health get affected by this COVID-19 Pandemic. Visit us at Westlake smile design today for regular cleanings and checkups, with the confidence that your safety and health are our topmost priority.

November 20, 2020 | Uncategorized Back to Blog