Keeping You Safe!
Worried about Coronavirus? You’re not alone!
We have been practicing universal precautions in our office for many decades, and have been following every recommendation by the ADA and CDC, but we’re taking that even further now, to ensure your safety!
So, what are we doing to keep you safe while you are in our care?
- We will screen everyone before appointments to make sure that you are feeling well before you come in.
- Non-patients (Spouses, children, etc.) are asked to stay in their car. Please plan accordingly.
- We regularly check temperatures of each team member and patient.
- The clinical team will wear N95 face masks, eye protection or full face shields, gloves, head covers, and disposable gowns.
- We use an iodine pre-rinse that kills the virus and bacteria present in your mouth for 2 hours.
- We will now be using an extraoral suction device to remove aerosols from the air as they are generated at the source, the patient’s mouth. These devices contain a HyperHEPA air filter with UV-C light sterilizers to ensure that any virus containing droplets are captured and destroyed.
- For certain procedures that cause aerosols, we may use a rubber dam to keep the aerosols from leaving the immediate area, cutting down the risk to other patients and staff.
- Every instrument goes through a detailed sterilization process of rinsing, ultrasonic scrubbing, and heat sterilization.
- We run weekly tests on our sterilizers to make sure they are able to kill the toughest organisms known to medical science – every single week.
- We are constantly wiping down any high touched surface – including door knobs, countertops, light switches, pens, drawer pulls, etc.
- Our surface disinfectant wipes kill the virus in 30 seconds.
- We will be fogging our operatories and staff members with hypochlorous acid. This is a food safe disinfectant that we make in the office using distilled water, kosher salt and vinegar and an electrolytic reaction to produce the hypochlorous acid. It is registered with the Centers for Disease Control for use against COVID-19 and has a 20 second kill time for the virus.
- We have installed an extremely advanced air purification system in the office. It eliminates virtually all contaminates from the air including bacteria and viruses using photocatalytic oxidation (PCO). Similar to the process used by the Department of Defense to combat germ warfare, PCO combines nature's three most powerful air purifiers into a safe air filter installed in the furnace system.
If you had an appointment scheduled during our closure, we will be reaching out to you to get your appointment rescheduled. If we’ve already rescheduled your appointment, we’ll be reaching out to confirm your appointment and advise you of some new protocols we’ve put in place to ensure you and our dental team are protected. We encourage everyone in our community to continue to take steps to minimize the spread of the virus, as dictated by the CDC.
If you have a question about an upcoming appointment, please contact us. We look forward to seeing you again in the practice!
Dr. Robert Meyer and Team
Step-by-step guide for patients who come into the office
- Pre-screening of all patients will occur as we confirm appointments and again prior to you entering the building.
- Social distancing – We ask that you remain in your car and call us at (716) 684-4048 when you arrive for your appointment. We will guide you through the process.
- A masked, gowned and gloved dental assistant, hygienist, or office staff member will meet you at the front door and welcome you to our office. Please wear a mask or face covering into the office.
- Upon entering the office, you’ll be asked to sanitize your hands.
- The assistant/hygienist will take your temperature and escort you back to the operatory.
- If your paperwork was not completed online, then the assistant will give you the paperwork to fill out and sign. A sterile pen will be used by each patient.
- The assistant or hygienist will do the patient interview and take the necessary x-rays.
- The masked and gowned doctor or hygienist will come in the room and put on his/her gloves and provides any necessary treatment.