COVID Update

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

All Precautions are taken to avoid Sharps Injuries

Injuries from accidental blood exposure from a needle stick, bur, or other sharp objects could risk exposure to a blood-borne virus or transmission to a patient. We implement the following practices to keep our patients and staff safe.

• Sharps safety work practice controls. We utilize self-sheathing anesthetic needles, safety scalpels, sharps containers, and needle recapping devices to remove or isolate hazards.
• Contactless disposal of sharps after use. Separate disposal containers are utilized for disposable sharps. Reusable sharps are transported in a closed, labeled container to prevent spilling the contents.
• Safe injection practices. Our dental staff is fully trained in the use of sharps, prevention of sharps injury techniques, and safe disposal and transport of sharps.

Rigorous Sterilization and Disinfection Keeps Us All Safe

• Sterile instruments and devices. We autoclave instruments after each patient. We make use of dental sterilization equipment such as dental autoclave when cleaning dental instruments. The autoclave uses steam heat for the sterilization of dental instruments
• Clean and disinfect environmental surfaces. We focus on infection control in the dental clinic by following CDC dental infection control procedures instituting stringent housekeeping practices, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment, and other elements of the work environment. With EPA-approved disinfectant cleaning products
• Dental Office Sterilization. We follow the ADA guidelines for dental office sterilization by cleaning and disinfect public areas frequently, including door handles, chairs, counters, and bathrooms.

The CDC recommends using social distancing whenever possible as an effective way of decreasing the likelihood of transmitting COVID-19. For your safety, our staff:

1. 1. Schedules appointments to minimize possible contact with other patients in the waiting room.

1. Takes temperature readings as part of the routine assessment of the patient before performing dental procedures.
2. Reschedules any patients who present with any flu-like symptoms to help prevent spreading infectious diseases.
3. Requests that you please stay home if you are sick.

Thank you for choosing Chagrin Highlands Dental Group for your dental care needs. We appreciate your patience as we institute practices to keep both patients and staff safe during this difficult time. Please do not hesitate to contact us by telephone or by email if you have any questions. We will respond as soon as possible.