2/16/2022
Dear Friends,
We hope you and your family are in good health and have stayed safe during this COVID-19 pandemic. Our community has been through a lot over the last couple months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your health and safety. We will be available to see routine dental procedures, cleanings, and checkups. In addition to prescreening our patients, we have revamped our workflow and office infrastructure to minimize person to person contact. We will reduce the number of patients seen per day and will schedule longer times for each procedure. All of this is to provide optimal social distancing and infection control, a top priority for our practice. In order to keep patients and staff safe, our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These recommendations are always changing and improving. We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued.
Changes you will see to better protect our patients and staff include:
• You will be asked to complete a screening form in the office and to update forms as we have gone chartless.
• Patients will be required to wear a face mask before entering the office.
· Each patient will have their temperature taken with a non-contact temporal scan thermometer.
• We will no longer offer nitrous oxide, magazines, children’s toys and so forth. Such items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. This may mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
• We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the office at any one time.
· We implement the lowest aerosol-generating armamentarium and utilize high velocity evacuation.
· We will place even more protective barriers throughout the operatory which will be all changed between every patient.
· As usual, surfaces will be rigorously disinfected and wiped down after every patient.
· Staff and doctors who are involved with direct patient treatment will be utilizing all CDC recommended PPEs such as N95 masks, face shields, and body gowns. All Staff will have their temperature taken before start of the day.
With all these safeguards in place and with additional office improvements, we feel confident that we can continue to provide excellent care to our patients in a safe clinical environment. We look forward to seeing you again and welcome any questions you may have. To make an appointment, please call our office at 510-526-1757 or visit our website at www.northberkeleydentalarts.com. Thank you for being our patient. We value your continued trust in us and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors and friends.
Sincerely,
The Doctors and Staff at North Berkeley Dental Arts