Covid-19 Re-opening and our new office protocols
We hope this post finds you happy and healthy. We want to take a moment to remind you that our top priority is always your health, safety and well-being. As we reopen our office, we do so with caution and after much hard work and preparation for preventing the spread of infection.
We are vigilant in monitoring the recommendation of the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Dental Association for the infection control related to Covid-19. We are confident that when we open our doors, our increased protocols will to keep you safe.
On May 11, 2020 we returned to normal operating hours. You will be asked to answer a COVID-19 health questionnaire prior to entering the office. Your temperature and oxygen saturation level will also be taken prior to proceeding to your treatment room. In addition to the changes we’ve made upon check-in, we’ve made a few changes to our physical appearance.
-Please notify us by text or phone call to 858-292-7655 when you arrive for your appointment. Please wait in the car until you are call into the office.
-Appointments will be rescheduled for patients who are determined to be ill or at risk based on temperature, oxygen saturation rate and questionnaire answers.
-Please wait in your car prior to your appointment. We have minimized the number of chairs in the reception area to allow the spacing between chairs to be 6 feet apart for anyone who MUST wait in the reception area but we discourage this practice.
-We ask that you continue to follow social distancing rules of maintaining 6 feet apart.
-While in office , we ask that you wear a mask.
-All magazines have been removed from the reception area and treatment
rooms.
-Hand sanitizer is available at the front desk and the check out desk.
-The front desk and check out counter is wiped and disinfected every hour.
-Temperatures are taken with a touch free digital thermometer.
-Front office staff will wear gloves and a mask while checking patients in and taking temps and oxygen saturation levels.
-Digital Thermometer and pulse oximeter are disinfected after each use
-All staff members are screened with temperatures and oxygen saturation levels prior to the start of the workday.
-During your treatment, we will require you to wear eye protection. You can wear your own eyeglasses or sunglasses or we will have safety glasses available for use.
-Increased PPE for staff members- Clinical staff members will continue to wear masks, gloves and protective eye wear during treatment. In addition to the above protective wear, staff will also wear a face shield.
-Treatment rooms have been upgraded with NEW High Volume Evacuation system.
-Each treatment room is wiped and disinfected after every patient following the same protocol as we have always done.
-Instruments are disinfected and sterilized after each use following the same guidelines and protocols as we have always used.
-Different head coverings and jackets are available for each provider to use depending upon preference
-HEPA air filter purifiers are used in every treatment room throughout the office.
Upon arrival you will be asked to complete a separate COVID-19 health screening questionnaire and your temperature and oxygen saturation level will be taken. If you are accompanied by a parent/guardian/companion, they will also be screened. However, we will only allow the patient into the treatment area unless a parent of a young child or a helper is needed for a disabled patient. While in the reception area, we ask that you please wear a mask.
When you arrive for your appointment, please text or call 858-292-7655 to let us know you are waiting in your car. We will call you into the office when your treatment room is ready.
We are excited to see all our patients again, however, we ask that you call to reschedule your appointment if you have any of the following:
- – Fever;
- – Signs of illness that could possibly indicate a fever or the flu, such as chills, headache
and generalized achiness;
- – Coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath;
- – Had close contact with someone who has had these symptoms;
- – Have had close contact with someone who has tested positive to COVID-19 or has
had symptoms of COVID-19.
- – We ask that you wait a minimum of 14 days before your next appointment if you
have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or have answered yes to any of the above.
If you have had any of the above AND have a dental emergency, please call the office for further guidance.
In order to minimize traffic within the office we ask that you do not bring anyone with you to your appointment. If you are under the age of 18, one parent or guardian will be allowed to accompany you to your appointment, if absolutely necessary. If you are in need of an assistant, one person is allowed to accompany you to your appointment.
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, an additional PPE fee of $15 will be collected at every office visit, as directed by multiple insurance companies. This PPE fee may be reimbursed by some insurance companies, but not all have committed to this reimbursement at this time.
We are excited and ready to see you for your dental needs! We thank you for your patience and understanding with the changes to your appointment times. We are diligently working to make sure we meet your dental needs and keep all of us safe and healthy. Please be mindful of all social distancing etiquette while in the dental office. We look forward to seeing you soon!
(If there are any changes through the health department mandates, we will adjust our schedules and operating hours accordingly. Thank you again for your patience and understanding)
Dr. Robert Eng Chin and Staff