Infection Control
Infection controls and universal precautions protect clients and staff alike. Everyone benefits from rigorous infection control — you, your dentist, and the dental team. The cornerstone in a good and safe dental practice is the element of trust. You should feel free to discuss this topic with Dr. Waters or Dr. Baer, and receive a straightforward answer.
Drs. Waters and Baer, and our entire team follow procedures recommended by several federal agencies: the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These measures include:
- Disinfectant hand soap
- Gloves and face masks
- Chemical disinfection of countertops and surfaces
- Sterilization of all equipment before every use
- Disposable materials
We sterilize all reusable equipment, including dental hand pieces. We use an autoclave, a device that kills bacteria and viruses by steam, heat and pressure.
We want to assure you of the measures we take to maintain a clean and safe environment so you can continue to receive needed dental care without fear or concern.
Our team has had additional training to ensure our processes meet or exceed sanitation and sterilization standards of care, and we have elevated our infection control procedures in response to this time of global concern. You can visit our practice with confidence, knowing we are taking additional measures to provide for the safety of our patients and our team:
- Elevated infection control standards – Including the usual thorough sterilization and disinfection of treatment rooms and instruments between each patient.
- Continued social distancing practices — Including scheduling that allows us to keep the waiting room at these standards.
- Preemptive screenings – All patients and staff members will be screened and have temperatures taken upon arrival. Patients may be asked to complete additional health history information.
- Adherence to standard sterile healthcare environment protocols – Including hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (e.g. gloves, masks, face shields, eyewear), respiratory hygiene, sharps safety, safe injection practices (when applicable), sterile instruments and devices, and clean and disinfected environmental surfaces and common areas.
- Patients are encouraged to wear a mask whenever possible.
We understand your decision to visit us is personal one. Should you have any questions or concerns about your dental appointment, please do not hesitate to call us at (480) 905-7171. We are here to help.
Please review our COVID-19 Patient Screening Questionnaire Below Prior to Your Visit.
These questions will be asked upon arrival at our office. If you have a temperature greater than 100.4 at the time of your appointment, or if you answer yes to any of the questions below, your appointment will be rescheduled to a later date when it is safe for you to be seen. This is for the safety of our team and other patients. Please contact us with any questions.
1. Have you within the last fourteen (14) days traveled to a country where community-based spread of COVID-19 is occurring or to any other geographic region in the United States with sustained community transmission of COVID-19?
2. Have you had direct contact within the last fourteen (14) days with a person confirmed or suspected to be positive with COVID-19?
3. In the last fourteen (14) days, have been in close contact with anyone who has experienced any of the following cold or flu-like symptoms – fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, body aches, or lack of taste or smell?
4. Do you currently have, or have you experienced any of the following cold or flu-like symptoms within the last fourteen (14) days – fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, body aches, or lack of taste or smell?
5. Have you been tested for COVID-19?
6. Patient Temperature (°F / °C) (Your temperature will be taken upon arrival by a staff member with a digital “no contact” thermometer)