How Does Social Distancing Work in Dentistry?

Your life has changed quite a bit in the last few months. You’ve been wearing cloth face coverings, limiting your public outings, and even working from your home office. By doing this, you’re greatly reducing your chances of becoming sick or spreading illnesses to others. However, you may be wondering what kind of social distancing steps are being taken at the dentist. Is it safe? Should you still go to your appointment? Your dentist in Horseshoe Bay shares some of the steps they are taking to keep themselves and their patients safe.

What Is Social Distancing?

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social distancing is one of the best ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This means to keep space between yourself and non-household members. To practice social distancing effectively, you must:

• Avoid mass gatherings and large crowds
• Don’t attend social gatherings
• Keep at least 6 feet between you and non-household members

How Is Your Dental Office Practicing Social Distancing?

There are many steps that your dental staff is taking to implement social distancing in the office. Here are just some of them:

Safety Champion

Every day, one member of the dental staff will be designated to guide the Commitment to Safety. This means greeting patients, answering questions, ensuring that social distancing is taking place, and monitoring the office.

No Handshakes or Hugs

As much as your dentist loves greeting you when you come into the office, handshakes and hugs are off limits for the time being. Instead, you can try using greetings that involve little to no contact, like elbow bumps and air high fives.

No Office Tours

Your dentist loves to show new patients around the office. Unfortunately, office tours will have to wait till a later date. It’s important to limit as much contact between people as possible for a safe treatment environment.

Sequenced Patient Scheduling

Your dental staff is scheduling appointments further apart throughout the day. This gives the team extra time to do a thorough cleaning job throughout the practice. It also helps to eliminate unnecessary contact between patients.

Changes in Waiting Room

Social distancing is being implemented in waiting rooms. Some chairs have been removed and helpful signs have been put up to remind patients to keep their distance from others.

One-Way Traffic

There is now one-way traffic in the treatment area to make it easier to move around the office in an orderly manner. This way, staff and patients can quickly move around with less contact between them.

Installed Clear Barriers

Hard plastic guards have been installed throughout the practice. Having an extra physical barrier can help to block the movement of airborne particles.

Social distancing is crucial in order to stay healthy. It’s especially important in healthcare offices like the dentist. During your next appointment, you can rest assured that your dental team is doing everything in their power to keep you and your family safe from COVID-19.

About the Author

Dr. Gregory R. Sopel is a general dentist practicing in Horseshoe Bay, TX. He has over four decades of experience, 27 of those being a member of the United States Army. He served as Lieutenant Colonel in a variety of different countries and bases throughout the U.S. Dr. Sopel’s practice has implemented 23 additional steps to make the office as safe as possible. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit his website or call (830) 598-5474.