Skyline Dental has re-opened! We are currently seeing and scheduling patients.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us. We have all gone through life and world-changing events these last few months. Dental practices were forced to close and limit dental care to emergency procedures; we used that time to make several worthwhile upgrades to our practice to help improve our office safety precautions. We are devoting this blog post to making you aware of the recent upgrades we have made to better protect our patients and staff.
Personal Protective Equipment
After donating and supplying nearly our entire stock of Personal Protective Equipment (over 6,000 masks) to our local frontline Healthcare Providers at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we began acquiring new and additional masks, respirators, gloves, gowns, surgical caps, face shields, hand sanitizer and disinfectants for our office and staff members as soon as the supply became available again.
Each staff member and patient can be assured that we have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment to meet the dental needs of our patients and the strictest safety standards for our profession and responsibility to our community.
Chairside HEPA Filtration Systems
The new High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filtration units that have been acquired for use in our dental operatories are the best available units for absorbing and removing 99.5% of particles all the way down to 0.003 microns in diameter.
Just to get an idea of the importance of filtering small particles from the air: the coronavirus is about 0.12 microns and would normally be transported through the air via aerosols, sneeze, or cough; however, those droplets are much bigger in size and will be captured rather easily by the HEPA Filtration systems that have been placed in our operatories.
Below is a short, 10-second video that demonstrates how efficiently and quickly this new filtration system captures the water aerosol from our drills along with everything else surrounding the area we will be working on.
Entire Office Air Quality Upgrade with UVC Light Air Scrubbers & Hospital Grade Merv-16 Filters
We have upgraded our heating and cooling system and attached new technology and equipment which removes possible pollution, contaminants, viruses, bacteria, mold, dust, and any other airborne organic compounds. This will result in a cleaner, healthier, and more efficient airflow within the office and serve as an additional layer of protection against airborne particles or infectious materials. Link to more information: https://www.airscrubberbyaerus.com/
Modified Dental Practices and Aerosol Control
In an effort to provide additional safety measures for our staff and dental health workers, we have modified as many of our dental and office procedures as possible, to further reduce the amount of aerosol and contact which will further protect our staff and the patients of the practice.
To combat aerosols produced during certain dental procedures, you will also notice preprocedural rinses with Peroxyl, additional tooth isolation techniques, and other extraoral and intraoral suction devices when indicated.
We are following and exceeding the latest infection control recommendations and personal safety policies from the Centers for Disease Control, the American Dental Association, the Oregon Health Authority, and the Oregon Dental Association.
We have provided additional training for our staff to meet the new safety measures that have come about as a result of this pandemic. Our office protocols have also been updated to meet and exceed the COVID-19 requirements. Our 13-page Skyline Dental COVID-19 specific safety manual far exceeds the 3-page handout produced by the Oregon Health Authority.
Bottom Line
Skyline Dental takes the confidence and trust our patients place in us VERY seriously. The health and well-being of our patients and staff is our #1 priority. We will continue to work hard to assure that our patients continue receiving excellent and personalized care in this new COVID-19 era. Dentistry has repeatedly overcome and adapted to infectious diseases in the past and we will do so once again. We appreciate the support of our patients, staff, and community through these challenging times.