September 17th marks the celebration of World Patient Safety Day. Today and every day we are deeply committed to keeping our patients and team members safe.
As healthcare providers, it is our collective responsibility to ensure a safe environment for our patients and team members. In the midst of this global pandemic, adhering to infection prevention and control standards and procedures has never been more important.
“Safety is at the core of every successful dental practice,” said Dr. Michelle Budd, Patient Safety Consultant at dentalcorp. “Dental practices have been following strict safety protocols for so long that the safety measures taken are a seamless part of each patient interaction – so much so that patients may not even notice all the safety precautions in place! In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, dental practices have had the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills where safety is concerned, and use this strong background to enhance patient safety, team safety, and ultimately community safety during these difficult times.”
In our effort help stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the well-being of our patients and team members, we have implemented robust safety measures across our Practice network. Our protective protocols include:
- Enhanced patient protection measures: All providers have upgraded their protective gear, including appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). In between patients, our Practices meticulously clean and disinfect rooms, as well as sterilize all instruments.
- A Virtual Waiting Room: Our Practices have set up a Virtual Waiting Room for patients to check-in via text, and wait outside until their room is ready. On the day of their appointment, patients will receive detailed instructions from their dental office.
- Tech-enabled screening: Our Practices digitally pre-screen patients in advance for COVID-19 symptoms to ensure the clinics and team members stay COVID-free.
- Air filtration: Our Practices have invested in high-efficiency air filtration systems that continuously clean the air.
- Teledentistry: Many of our Practices are setting up their own virtual care, where patients can speak with their dentist over video, chat and text. Dentists are available virtually for emergencies, to answer questions or discuss new procedures.
To support our wider dental community in the fight against COVID-19, we have made a library of resources available on our website, including Risk Management protocols, interviews with infectious disease and healthcare professionals, Human Resources reference materials, Patient Communication templates, and more.
World Patient Safety Day acts as an important reminder for us to keep talking about patient safety, so we can continue to serve our communities while keeping everyone safe. Join us today in protecting the health and safety of your patients, team members, and wider communities.