Enhanced COVID-19 Infection Control Standards

At The Grove Family Dental our number one priority has always been the health and safety of our patients and team members. As a leading healthcare authority in our community, we wanted to reach out to all of our patients regarding the COVID-19 virus, and let you know the steps we are taking to safely provide our services and alleviate any potential concerns.

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Fortunately for our wonderful patients, you have the unique opportunity to receive care in a modern brand-new and clean facility during these highly sensitive times. With newer equipment and supplies in the hands of experienced staff with over 10 years of experience, you can be confident in receiving the highest quality dental care in one of the safest dental settings in Elk Grove. We have also invested in creating private treatment rooms that create natural infection control barriers in the dental setting. Our medical-grade H-13 HEPA air purifiers and medical-grade UV sterilizers go above and beyond the standard infection control procedures used in the majority of dental offices.
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We would also like to be transparent about infection control standards in the healthcare space in order to ease any concerns you may have about seeing your dentist. In general, we recommend all our patients wash their hands frequently, avoid close contact with people who are sick, and stay home if you aren’t feeling well.

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Based on the latest recommendations from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), ADA (American Dental Association), CDA (California Dental Association) and other national healthcare providers, we are implementing new enhanced standards for treatment and access into our dental setting.

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These standards include: 
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Enhanced patient and staff screening protocols:

• Patient and employee temperature screenings upon entering the office
• Screening questionnaire directly related to COVID-19 risk factors and symptoms
• Rescheduling symptomatic patients to reduce exposure and infection risks 

Proper social etiquette in a medical setting:

• Limiting the number of patients allowed in the office at the same time
• Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet
• Limiting visitors accompanying patients to the office, unless medically necessary  
• Plexiglass barrier in the waiting room front desk area to separate administrative staff from patient

Regular hand washing: 

• Before and after treating a patient 
• Before putting on gloves and immediately after removing them 
• After touching any potentially contaminated surfaces or equipment
• Using soap and water for visibly soiled hands instead of alcohol-based hand sanitizer  
• Patients will be required to wash their hands and/or use sanitizer upon enter the premises

Use of personal protective equipment: 

• Wearing gloves, masks and eyewear while treating patients 
• Using new gloves for treatment of every patient 
• Removing personal protective equipment before leaving the work area 
• Wearing of clean masks/face shields/gloves/gowns at any time throughout the office if deemed necessary to ensure patient and staff safety

Using proper respiratory and cough etiquette: 

• Covering mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing 
• Coughing or sneezing into the elbow
• Using and disposing of tissues 
• Sanitizing hands after exposure to respiratory secretions 

Use of sterile instruments and devices: 

• Disinfecting and sterilizing reusable dental equipment before use on another patient 
• Keeping manufacturer’s reprocessing instructions readily available for trained team members 
• Wearing appropriate PPE when handling and reprocessing equipment 
• Using monitors to ensure effectiveness of sterilization 
• Maintaining sterilization records in accordance with state and local regulations 
• Use of medical-grade H-13 HEPA air purifiers and medical-grade UV sterilizers

Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces throughout the operatories and office:

• Establishing policies and procedures for routine cleaning and disinfection of surfaces 
• Using barriers for hard-to-clean surfaces 
• Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that are not barrier-protected
• Using EPA-registered disinfectants or detergents that are suitable for health care settings 
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At The Grove Family Dental, you can be confident we will always follow strict cleaning policies for the protection of both our staff and our patients. Each staff member maintains rigorous personal hygiene standards in and outside the office setting. These processes have always been of utmost importance in our office and will continue to be the standards we uphold for our community.

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Please rest assured that we are following local and national updates daily and will continue to maintain the highest level of safety and patient care that you have come to expect. If you have any questions regarding your future appointments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We will be providing additional updates through Email, Facebook and other social media channels to keep our community and patients abreast of the latest updates regarding the current health situation.

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Again, thank you for being a valued patient with The Grove Family Dental. We appreciate your continued trust and confidence. Together we can overcome these challenging circumstances and continue your path to greater health! We look forward to taking care of you at your next scheduled appointment.
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Best, 

The Grove Family Dental Team