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Coronavirus and Safety at your Local Dental Clinic

Following recent media coverage about masks and dentistry, I would like to spend a moment to clarify information about Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the dental setting. At TLC Dental, it is business as usual. We fortunately had the foresight to plan ahead and hence have a healthy stockpile of masks. We are as busy as ever.

I also want to reassure our patients that the risk of exposure to the virus in our dental surgery is extremely low to nil. We have always practiced and continue to practice “Universal Precaution”. This means that we sterilise all our instruments and disinfect all clinical and reception areas in between every patient to ensure that all viral and bacterial cross contamination is not possible, not just for the current Coronavirus, but for all communicable diseases. Our staff are fully trained and certified to do this to the highest “Hospital” standards.

For more information on our infection control protocols, visit the recommended guidelines for infection control at https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-guidelines-prevention-and-control-infection-healthcare-2019

This ensures the utmost safety for all our patients, staff and our families.

There are many websites that has information on COVID-19. However, I urge everyone to only use reputable sources like the Australian Medical Association website to ensure you have the most accurate and up to date information.

 

YOUR SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY

What specifically are we doing at our practice to protect patients?

Our strict protocol includes our font desk manager establishing if patients have:

  • A fever/history of fever AND shortness of breath or a cough or a sore throat.
  • Severe acute respiratory infection.
  • Travelled overseas in the last 2 weeks, especially to China, Iran and South Korea, where the number of infected cases has risen dramatically.
  • Been in close contact with anyone who has had confirmed Coronavirus (Covid-19) or who has been in a health facility treating them.

We urge that patients relating to the above hold off urgent dental treatment for at least 2 weeks after the potential exposure.

This is also applicable to all our staff members