Infection Control & COVID-19 Update

***UPDATE: We are post-poning all elective dental work and dental cleanings until May 1, 2020, but we will remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic to treat emergencies and urgent dental needs in order to provide continued care. If you are having pain, signs of infection, or are concerned that you are at risk of a dental infection or loss of a tooth, please call our office to speak with Dr. Browning. ***

At Tuscarora Family Dental Care, we have always followed standard universal precautions issued by the CDC and ADA to help protect every one of our patients and team members from the many infectious diseases that we are potentially exposed to on a daily basis.

For your peace of mind, these are the precautions we take EVERY time you sit in one of our patient chairs:

• We wear single-use gloves, masks, and gowns or laundered jackets while treating patients.
• We place instruments after each use into an autoclave (a high-pressure steam oven) to kill every known infectious organism, including coronavirus. Several products that we use are also single patient use, so they are discarded after usage.
• We wipe down each dental operatory after each patient visit with a medical-grade surface disinfectant that kills all known infectious diseases, including coronavirus.
• We either wash our hands thoroughly or apply an alcohol-based compound between each patient.

In addition to the above standard measures, we will be exercising a higher standard of infection-control in our waiting areas, including removing all magazines, the self-serve coffee station, and other items that are difficult to disinfect. We will be wiping down our reception area multiple times per day with a medical-grade surface disinfectant.

Because we are primarily a fee for service practice, you will not need to worry about waiting in a crowded reception room. We promise to take you back to a treatment room as soon as you arrive for your appointment. If you would feel more comfortable waiting in your car until we are ready for you, simply call us when you arrive and we will meet you at your car and bring you straight into your treatment room.

While we are doing everything in our power to protect you, we also ask for your cooperation in making our office environment a safe one. If you have a cough, fever, or chills, please call our office to reschedule. We will be checking temperatures on all patients as they enter and anyone with a reading over 99.6 degrees will be asked to reschedule at least three weeks later as a precaution. Also, to practice social distancing and minimize the number of people in our waiting room, please show up no earlier than 10 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment. We also ask that you do not bring any family members or friends to your appointment with you to minimize the risk of cross-contamination.

Instituting these higher standards will help keep you and our entire team safe until this health risk subsides. We care about each of you and look forward to seeing you again for your next appointment!