How We Are Keeping You Safe

Kentucky has provided a series of requirements that need to be met in order for a dental office to re-open. However, Hurstbourne Dental Care’s safety requirements far exceed those recommended in order to provide the highest level of protection reasonably possible for our patients, staff, and families. See below for a sample of how we plan to keep everyone safe.

• Highest level of PPE use: N95 & surgical masks, facial shields, surgical gowns, head caps, goggles, gloves, etc.
• Use of high level HVAC filters & medical grade air purifiers
• Use of UV light to disinfect all surfaces 2x a day (coming soon)
• Contained treatment protocols to prevent cross-travel between operatories/admin areas
• Disinfect all clinical and administrative surfaces and door handles after each patient
• Operatory deep cleans
• Use of high speed suction to minimize air particles
• Staff decontamination of all clothing
• Patients masks to minimize risk of transmission while not in treatment
• Washing of hands before and after every patient interaction
• Disinfect all packages, supplies, etc.
• Scheduling with appointment gaps to avoid contact & provide additional cleaning time
• Staggered of employee lunches and breaks to minimize contact/crowding
• Reduced use of water spraying equipment
• Massive amounts of hand sanitizer
• No patient clustering – use of parking lot lobby & 1 patient in waiting room limit
• Patient & staff anti-microbial required rinses
• Plexi-glass protective barriers
• Staff & patient temperature readings & symptoms/contact questionnaire
• Use of mouth barriers that isolate treatment area and cover remaining mouth to minimize exposure and particle disbursement
• …and more!

How will your appointment be different now?

Prepare yourselves:

• Our staff will be clothed in the highest level of personal protective equipment – don’t be alarmed, we’re still the same goofy bunch, just with more layers on…like onions
• Our lobby will now effectively be an exclusive night club – limited admission. In fact, it will be a party of one as only one patient will be allowed in the lobby at a time. Everyone else will have to keep the party going in their cars, until they receive a text or call inviting them in
• Only way to get into this nightclub though, is to either have a mask on or some sort of face covering – pick your favorite scarf, we can’t wait to see
• You’ll sanitize your hands as soon as you walk in the door…duh
• Sorry no magazines in the lobby and remote will only be handled by the front desk – hope you like Telenovelas
• We’re trying to get to know ya better, so we’ll text or email you a link to answer our COVID-19 questionnaire (less than 5 questions)
• We also want to know how hot you are, so we’ll take your temperature when you come in
• We have a sneaky suspicion that some of you haven’t been rinsing with Listerine, so you’re going to get some anti-microbial rinse
• While we would love to give you hugs, high-fives, fist-bumps and the like, we’re going to have to keep it profesh and at a distance

Kentucky Dental Office Re-Opening Requirements

Please see below for a summary of the re-opening requirements issued by Gov. Andy Bashear, along with a link to the Governor’s website and presentation regarding the re-opening.

KY phase I re-opening requirements

• Eliminate traditional waiting areas and use parking lot lobby instead
• Maintain social distancing & minimize direct contact with staff
• Screen all staff and patients for temperature and COVID-19 symptoms upon arrival
  • Require staff to stay home if sick
• Enhanced workplace sanitation
• Enhanced hand hygiene
• Easily accessible hand sanitizer
• Access to necessary PPE
• All staff must wear surgical masks
• All patients in office must wear a mask (cloth or surgical/procedural)
• Dental office specific
  • Higher level of mask protection
  • Airflow considerations

Link to Governor’s COVID-19 page: https://govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19
Link to Governor’s Phase I reopening presentation: https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/covid19/phaseIhealthcareservicereopening.pdf