SARS-CoV-2 (Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) and the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID -19) pandemic it caused has been challenging.
These last five months have been a drain on collective physical and mental health, and the economic repercussions of the pandemic has stressed families in ways not understood before.
We often find ourselves balancing questions about our personal safety and the need for getting back to some semblance of “normalcy,” or what we remember as normal.
At the onset of the pandemic, on recommendations for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Dental Association (ADA), dentists were asked to postpone all but urgent and emergency care. This was so public health experts could better understand the disease, and consider its effect on dental patients, dental professionals and the greater community.
We continue to learn about the virus and have a better understanding of the disease it causes and how it spreads. More importantly, we now have a better understanding of how we can protect ourselves and our patients from being infected. As a matter of fact, both the ADA and the CDC have provided guidance for dental professionals related to COVID-19 and have called for the highest level of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available.
Though the World Health Organization (WHO) is still advising “routine non-essential oral health care be delayed,” the American Dental Association and the Center for Disease Control“respectfully yet strongly disagrees” with the WHO recommendation.
“Oral health is integral to overall health. Dentistry is essential health care,” said ADA President Chad P. Gehani, D.D.S.
“Dentistry is essential health care because of its role in evaluating, diagnosing, preventing, or treating oral diseases, which can affect systemic health.” With the Personal Protective Equipment and guidelines that have been implemented, Dr. Gehani concludes, “Millions of patients have safely visited their dentists in the past few months for the full range of dental services. With appropriate PPE, dental care should continue to be delivered during global pandemics or other disaster situations.”
Your safety and well-being are our top priority. Our office has always used the highest level of precautions to prevent the spread of infections, and we are continuing to engage in additional precautions to protect our patients and our team from the spread of COVID-19.
We are here to work with you to take care of your oral health, while always keeping the highest level of safety possible.
Some of the protective guidelines we have implemented for your safety include:
▶ Screening questions will be asked of you ahead of your office visit. You’ll be asked the same questions again when you arrive at our office.
▶ Similarly, our staff is being screened daily with temperature monitoring and maintaining mask wearing and social distancing protocols throughout the work day.
▶ We will ask you to use hand sanitizer when you enter our office. You will also find more of it in the reception area and strategically placed around the office for your use as needed.
▶ We have installed air filtration/purifying units in all rooms.
▶ You may see that our waiting room is set up to accommodate social distancing. We no longer offer magazines since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect and we have installed clear barriers to shield you from the front desk staff.
▶ Appointment times will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. This might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
▶ We will allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.
▶ You will also notice clinical staff is wearing enhanced Personal Protective Equipment during your treatment.
Please don’t hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions about the steps we are taking to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call 321-253-3136 or visit online chenetdental.com and remember… you too, be safe out there!
Cedric Chenet, DDS, PA
Dr. Chenet earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Averett College in Virginia and his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at Howard University in Washington D.C. He then joined the United States Air Force as a dental officer, serving in places such as Japan, Egypt, Peru, Saudi Arabia, and his native Haiti. During this time, Dr. Chenet received extensive post-graduate training in numerous dental disciplines including general and pediatric dentistry, periodontics, endodontics, and prosthodontics. In 2002, he honorably retired as a lieutenant colonel and founded his Melbourne practice.
