Compared to this time last year or even as few as six months ago, life looks very different these days. Everywhere you go, people are wearing masks, staying at least six feet apart, and being careful to keep their hands consistently clean. For some people, these changes have been quite challenging, but for others, such as dentists, cleanliness is just part of the job.
Long before COVID-19 came onto the scene, your dentist in Lincoln needed to follow strict hand hygiene standards. Before every appointment, your dental team washed their hands and put on brand-new gloves prior to touching any instrument or putting their hands in your mouth. However, now dentists have to take hand hygiene even further to ensure the safety of both patients and staff alike.
Importance of Clean Hands
Although many mysteries still surround COVID-19, one thing has become painfully clear so far—this disease is spread when oral droplets from an infected person come into contact with another person, who then touches their mouth, nose or eyes. As a result, everyone has been encouraged to avoid touching their face as much as possible and to wash their hands often to prevent the spread of this disease. This is much easier said than done in dental practices, where contact with the mouth and close proximity to others are inevitable, but fortunately, your dentist has plans for dealing with these risks.
Ways to Keep Hands Clean
In addition to usual handwashing protocols, your dental team will be implementing more creative and effective ways to make sure their hands stay clean when you come to visit. These methods include the following:
- Contact-free temperature checks: Before touching a single tooth, each staff member and patient will have their temperature read using a touchless device, reducing the chances of contamination for everyone.
- Hand sanitizing stations: Patients will be asked to use hand sanitizer throughout the practice, especially at the front desk, to take care of any germs on their hands. Staff will also routinely use these stations for added protection.
- Touchless payment options: Some dental practices have the technology to enable patients to pay without having to hand a card to a staff member. This keeps contamination to a minimum.
- Air purifiers and HVAC filters: With these methods of purifying the particles in the air, everyone will be less likely to get germs on their hands and therefore in their systems.
With all these extra protocols in place, your dental office can be a safe place to get necessary oral care without you having to worry about getting sick or about unknowingly getting someone else sick. That way, you can focus on treatment you need to have a confident smile.
About the Practice
With eight dentists on staff at six locations, Williamsburg Dental is always close to home. Each member of our dental team has years of experience and prioritizes health and safety above all else. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking extra measure to create an even cleaner environment. To learn more about our handwashing and other safety protocols, you can click here. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Williamsburg Dental, you may call us at (402) 420-2222.