At Chagrin Highlands Dental Group, our priority continues to be the safety and well being of our patients and staff. As we are directed by the American Dental Association (ADA), we follow the current recommendations for dental sterilization and hygiene from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to keep ourselves and our patients healthy and limit the possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
Hygiene is High Priority
We take the following steps in our practice to limit the spread of germs:
- Hand washing. We provide infection control dentistry by frequently and thoroughly washing hands using soap and water for a minimum of 20-seconds after any contact with patients. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol is acceptable if soap and water are not readily available.
- Use of personal protective equipment. OSHA infection control dental requires all employers to protect employees from workplace hazards, provide a safe workplace, and provide proper PPE to employees. Worker appropriate personal protective equipment includes, but is not limited to gloves, gowns, lab coats, face shields or face masks and eye protection, and mouthpieces, resuscitation bags, pocket masks, or other ventilation devices.
- Respiratory hygiene. All dental health-care workers interacting with a patient wears a heavy-duty surgical mask. Masks are designed so they fit tightly around the nose and mouth. Masks are changed between patients or during patient treatment if the mask becomes wet.