March 15, 2020
To Our Patients and Their Families,
At South Penn Dental our number one priority has always been the health and safety for our patients and staff. We work hard to prevent the spread of infection. Before any patient enters the examination rooms, all surfaces, such as the dental chair, dental light, drawer handles, and countertops, have been cleaned and disinfected. Equipment is covered with protective covers, which are replaced after each patient. Non-disposable items like dental tools are cleaned and sterilized after each patient. Disposable dental tools and needles are never reused. Infection control precautions also require all dental staff involved in patient care to use appropriate protective equipment such as gloves, masks, gowns, and eyewear when needed. After each patient, disposable gloves and masks are thrown away. Before seeing the next patient, everyone on the treatment team washes their hands.
If you are healthy, there is no need to cancel your regularly scheduled dental appointment. Keeping your regularly scheduled cleaning and treatment is very important to maintaining your overall health. It’s important to know that the majority of people infected with the coronavirus experience flu-like symptoms and then recover. Most people do not develop serious respiratory complications.
Those most at risk of becoming seriously ill are elderly people and those with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease, among others. Children, thus far, have been largely unaffected. Here are a few things you can do on your own to help keep yourself and those around you healthy:
- Wash your hands frequently, or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% ethyl alcohol.
- Avoid touching your face, eyes or nose to reduce the spread of germs.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow. Infections like the coronavirus spread through the tiny droplets in coughs and sneezes.
- Stay home if you feel sick. If you have flu-like symptoms or otherwise feel unwell, stay home and rest. This will reduce the risk of spreading your illness.
Thank you for being a valued patient with South Penn Dental. We appreciate your continued trust and confidence. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call so that we can help you in any way possible. We look forward to taking care of you at your next scheduled appointment.
Sincerely,
Your South Penn Dental Team