After weeks in quarantine because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country is slowly beginning to reopen. However, it’s vital to keep in mind that even as stay-at-home orders are being lifted, social distancing is the best way to protect yourself and others from the coronavirus. But how can you keep your distance from others when visiting your dentist? Here’s what your Temple dentist is doing to make social distancing a practical reality during your next appointment.
Touch-Free Greetings
COVID-19 is primarily spread through infected airborne particles that are dispersed when a sick person sneezes, coughs, or talks. However, these particles can also land and survive on a variety of surfaces for minutes, hours, or days at a time. This means that handling a contaminated object could transfer germs to your hands long after the sick person has left the area. Then, those particles can be transported to whatever you touch, including doorknobs, your car keys, and your face.
To eliminate the possibility of spreading germs through contact, your dental team is saving handshakes, hugs, and other hearty greetings until a later date. Instead, they’ll enthusiastically welcome you back to the office with a safe, touch-free hello.
Virtual Waiting Room
Before the pandemic, you would arrive for your appointment, check in at the front desk, and wait in the reception area. However, your dentist has established a “virtual waiting room” system in order to regulate how many people are in the practice at one time. Instead of entering the office when you arrive, you’ll be asked to check in from the comfort of your car. When the time comes, your dental team will contact you to invite you in, where you can bypass the reception area and go directly to your treatment room. This minimizes your exposure to other patients and lowers your risk of getting sick.
Changes to the Reception Area
Even though you won’t be spending much time in the reception area, you’ll probably notice some of the changes that have been made to it, like:
- No magazines, toys, or other frequently touched items.
- Fewer chairs available to ensure at least six feet of distance.
- Helpful signs and one-way traffic areas.
Encouraging social distancing is only one of many ways your dentist is working tirelessly to safeguard your wellbeing. While your next appointment may look a little different than ones you’ve had in the past, you can still expect the same friendly, comfortable, and high-quality dentistry you’ve always enjoyed from your Temple dentist.
About the Practice
In these unusual times, Fossum Dental Group is dedicated to adding peace-of-mind to their excellent dental services. They have been monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic carefully and adjusting their infection control protocols accordingly. 14 new precautions have been added to facilitate social distancing and other important measures to keep you, the staff, and the entire community of Temple, TX safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’d like to learn more about their Commitment to Safety, feel free to contact them via their website or at (254) 778-3900.