Now that businesses around the country are starting to reopen, creative prevention is becoming quite prevalent. As a dental hygienist, you are likely already seeing new ways of serving your patients.
It’s important for your dental practice to adapt to these new standards. After all, the health of everyone in the office is at stake. If you and your co-workers are still finding your feet, you might find inspiration from other practices.
Let’s look at a few ways that dental practitioners have changed up their service to conform to the effects of COVID-19.
1. Please Wait in Your Car
Several dental practices are having their patients wait in their cars until they are ready to be seen by the dentist.
Waiting rooms across the United States are seeing fewer seats in order to avoid the possibility of transmission. Those who are allowed to wait inside due to medical reasons and like are less likely to come in contact with other patients.
It may also be prudent to delay certain procedures as long as possible. This will further reduce your risk by limiting the number of people in the office throughout the day.
2. Regular Screening
This is an important step that many practices are incorporating into their daily schedule. Patients are screened before entering the office, with many of the screenings taking place while they are sitting in their car.
This includes a questionnaire and taking their temperature. This is a great way to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus. But the screenings don’t start and stop with patients.
All staff is also required to have their temperature taken each and every day that they report to the office. By making sure that both patients and staff members are regularly screened before stepping foot in the practice, the less likely they are to contract COVID-19.
3. Scrub That Idea
Scrubs are the fashionable attire worn by medical staff. As a dental hygienist, you are all too familiar with these uniforms. One great way to reduce the risk of spreading diseases is for dental practices to prohibit staff from leaving the office in their scrubs.
This means that all employees must bring an extra change of clothes to work each day. When they are ready to go home, they must change before leaving.
Some dentists have purchased washers and dryers to make sure that all scrubs are cleaned on-site. This is an excellent way to ensure that COVID-19 isn’t carried in via uniforms.
4. Well-Guarded
As you have probably seen in many stores and banks, Plexiglass is being installed to shield customers from employees, and vice versa. Many dental practices are incorporating this preventative step as well. Plexiglass shields are a great way to reduce contact from coughs and sneezes.
You may even find yourself wearing shields over your face throughout most of the day to help limit the chances of exposure. Fill out our form or download our app to join Stynt!
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