We Do What It Takes to Help You Relax
We Treat You Like You’re Sick To Keep You Healthy
Our practice uses "universal precautions". That
means we follow the current recommendations of the American
Dental Association(ADA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),
and the Occupational Safety Hazard Administration (OSHA).
Our dentists and staff members take numerous steps to ensure
that our office environment is clean and safe. This may sound
like a lot of trouble, and it is. But, we're committed to
following specific, methodical steps to ensure your peace
of mind and complete safety at all times.
Although
that doesn't mean we're going to quarantine you in a sealed
room, it does mean that we always wear masks, gloves, and
glasses; steam sterilize all instruments and hand-pieces after
each use; prepare difficult to disinfect surfaces by dressing
them in disposable plastic sheaths; use disposable single-use
items when possible; disinfect each treatment room after every
patient; and keep all the MSDS’s on file of all the chemicals
we use at the office. As if that's not enough, we have a practice
seminar annually to keep everyone updated on the latest findings
and techniques of disease prevention.
Beating the Bugs on Equipment
Our
sterilization sequence is pretty impressive. After each procedure,
we take the tray of used instruments to the "dirty side"
of our sterilization area. There, we throw away all disposable
items, place reusable instruments in an ultrasonic solution
to 'shake off' large bits of debris, and carefully place all
sharp disposable objects into a special 'sharps' container--
including scalpels, and anesthetic carpules. There's no old-fashioned
and dangerous manual scrubbing, and thus no accidental finger
sticks and cuts.
Next, we place the handpieces or drills in the “Assistina”
apparatus. This amazing device dislodges and eliminates all
debris from within the handpieces: driving first air, lubricant,
then air, through the handpiece.
Finally,
we rinse all the instruments and handpieces, place them in
sterilization pouches, and steam sterilize them in our autoclave.
We test our autoclaves weekly to ensure that they're actually
killing all the bacteria they're designed to kill.
Only after completing this entire sterilization cycle do
we take our instruments over to the clean side of the room,
organizing them together with unopened disposable items on
our procedural setup trays.
Comfort: Making Your Visit a Walk in the Park
It's perfectly normal to be a little anxious about visiting
the dentist's office. We've been treating patients long enough
to understand those concerns. In fact, we strive to make your
treatment not only comfortable, but even enjoyable! If you're
like our other patients, you'll find something on the list
below that helps you relax during whatever procedure you need
to undergo.
Pre-Medication: We can prescribe
a medication for you to take the night before and the morning
of your appointment. This approach has the advantage of ensuring
a good night's rest, and a relaxed attitude prior and during
your visit. Just be aware that you'll have to arrange someone
to drive you to and from your appointment.
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