We’ve Reopened!
June 5, 2020
We hope you are staying safe and doing well during this trying time. Governor Coumo announced on Sunday, May 31st, that dental offices can open state-wide. We have worked extremely hard to follow medical developments associated with COVID in healthcare settings as well as properly protecting our patients and ourselves. You can be confident that we are taking all of the necessary precautions which are detailed at length in this email.
We will start seeing patients on Monday, June 8th.
We are opening at a slow pace, not at full capacity. We have adjusted all of our appointment times including dental hygiene appointments from 60 minutes to 90 minutes per patient. We will also be opening on the occasional Friday and Saturday to catch up for those of you who have fallen behind your maintenance visits.
Will it be safe to see us for a dental appointment?
We are proud to say that we are exceeding the guidelines set forth by the American Dental Association (ADA), Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Please join us!
Dr. Marc Sclafani and Dr. Robert Raimondi will be doing an Instagram Live on TODAY! Friday, June 5th at 4PM EST to discuss everything that we are doing. Please follow us @OneManhattanDental.
Team Collaboration:
Please check out the following video with our Co-Founder Rob Raimondi DDS and our hygienists Amy, Kristi and Porsha discussing how we have worked together during COVID-19.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAsYCIEADl1/
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1K33v2BH0U
Do you have antibodies?
To our surprise only one of our team members has been shown to have antibodies. This was reassuring to help indicate that either most of our patients did not contract SARS-Cov-2 and/or that strict infection control procedures and policies at our office are sound and effective.
If you are coming in for an appointment and possess antibodies, please share your results with us.
What are we doing to reopen safely?
Our COVID-19 Precautions and Protocol
Aerosol and Droplet Control:
Point of Care High Evacuation Devices for droplet and aerosol recovery. We have installed Isolite units in every treatment room; the same equipment used on the US Navy hospital ships to treat COVID-19 positive patients who had dental needs. We have tested it out on emergency patients over the past few weeks and are pleased to say our clinicians and patients love them. Please see the following information pertaining to this:
Hospital grade Air filters for the entire air volume of the practice. It has been shown that the SARs-CoV-2 virus is capable of existing in aerosols for several hours. Infectious Disease experts believe that one cannot contract COVID-19 from these particles because the amount of viral load is generally too low to infect someone. We still felt it was necessary to clean the air in our entire practice. The units we have put throughout the office and within treatment rooms are capable of completely cleaning the air of all spaces in under 10 minutes. For more information:
https://molekule.cdn.prismic.io/molekule%2Fb78ec18a-a14e-4bec-950b-cc3b4c64b62d_bioaerosols.pdf
The proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
-N95 Masks doubled with a Level 3 surgical mask on top.
-Custom-made face shields. We have worked together with a local manufacturer to develop a face shield that can accommodate our equipment so that we can operate comfortably and to the highest quality that we are used to. Please see a video detailing our collaboration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKvy7rAlq5Q&feature=youtu.be
-Disposable gowns.
-Proper protocols for putting on and taking off PPE.
Schedule alterations. Reducing the amount of patients seen daily and at one time. Ensuring time between patients to properly disinfect and sanitize treatment rooms and allow the air to be filtered.
Screening protocols. For all team members, doctors and patients.
-Please come on time for your appointment. We try to always run early and love patients who do the same, but for now please do not arrive prior to your appointment time.
-You MUST wear a mask to enter and at all times within the practice.
-Upon entry your temperature and blood oxygen saturation will be taken. The same will be done for every team member every day. You will be asked to used hand sanitizer.
-Screening questions: COVID medical history form will need to be completed 24 hours prior to your appointment. Here is a copy of the form: https://secure.dentaleshare.com/pformbatch/7789/cover.html
-We may not be able to see you if you arrive late to your appointment.
-Please come alone to your appointment unless an aide or a helper is necessary.
New policies for common spaces. Our team has been instructed and trained on the conduct. We have also secured an additional space on the same floor as our office for our team members to take breaks and eat lunch at safe social distances from each other.