As part of our commitment to our partners and the dental community, we have been closely following news and updates from the American Dental Association regarding the coronavirus. The ADA recently issued new recommendations regarding the use of PPE to ensure the safety of patients and office staff when dental practices begin to reopen. Today, we wanted to take a moment to share this important information and other updates with you.

While conditions regarding coronavirus transmission vary widely across the U.S., some states are considering reopening and allowing essential businesses, such as dental offices, to resume operations. While this is great news for many dental practices and professionals, reopening offices is likely to bring some new challenges. Here are a few important suggestions to consider as you prepare to get back to business.

Safety for Patients and Office Staff

• All dental employees should have access to proper PPE and sufficient amounts of supplies such as N95 face masks, face shields, disposable gowns, and gloves. In need of PPE for your office? Dental Dynamic Staffing can help!
• Review sterilization and cleaning processes to ensure surfaces and high touch areas (such as waiting rooms) are regularly disinfected to prevent contamination and virus spread.
• Does your office have enough space to maintain social distancing suggestions? This might impact the number of patients you can serve at one time.

Scheduling Patients and Extending Practice Hours

• Consider setting aside time for or prioritizing higher risk patients so they receive the help they need and recover their oral health.
• Keep currently scheduled patients on the schedule or reschedule them for a future appointment. It can be challenging to bring back patients once they fall off the appointment schedule.
• Do you need to change your office hours to fit in more patients? Adjusting the hours of your practice can allow you to make up for lost appointments without risking staff or patient health.

Preparing to Go Back to Work

• Set up a zoom meeting with your team to discuss and prepare for the office reopening. What needs to be done to get your dental practice ready for patients?
• Be ready to answer additional questions about dental insurance and benefits. What services are covered and what might be out-of-pocket for your patients?
• How will you assure patients your practice has taken all necessary steps to protect their health? Put patients at ease by providing protective wear for those who don’t have PPE.

For more resources and guidance, check out the ADA’s Coronavirus Center for Dentists. And don’t forget, Dental Dynamic Staffing is always here to help! If you’re a dental professional looking for work or a dental office with a staffing request, contact us anytime at 440-481-3131 or send us a message.