BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – New procedures, new plans, and a new world for dentists across Kentucky.
The first phase of reopening Kentucky began Monday with non-urgent health care services such as optometrists, chiropractors, and dentists.
“We’ve developed an entirely new patient intake protocol that changes the moment the patient really arrives in the parking lot.,” said Dr. Devin Hall, Chandler Park Dental Care.
Chandler Park Dental Care in Bowling Green has met the state guidelines to reopen, but that comes with adjustments.
At Chandler Park Dental Care, patients will check-in for their appointment via text message.
“If they have a mask they will wear that, if they do not have a mask then we will provide a mask for them to wear into the facility. They will be taken directly to the treatment area. So, no waiting room, no congregating with other people,” Dr. Hall said.
Anyone accompanying a patient must wait in their car or outside the building.
All staff is required to wear surgical/procedural masks.
“Gowns on, N95 masks, some sort of face shield or eye protection,” Dr. Hall said.
“The whole point is to make sure our patients are safe and that our team is safe and that we’re safe because we have family that we have to go home to and so we just want to be an example for the rest of the community and make sure that we can perform dental services safely and just reassure our patients of that,” said Dr. Eli Jackson.
The 10 rules to reopening a business under the Healthy at Work plan are:
Continue telework where possible
Phased return to work
Onsite temperature and health checks
Universal masks and other necessary protective equipment
Close common areas
Enforce social distancing
Limit face-to-face meetings
Sanitizer/hand wash stations
Special accommodations
Testing plan
All phases will include:
Fever and COVID-19 screening prior to entry into the healthcare facility
Discontinued use of waiting rooms.
Use non-traditional options, e.g., wait in the car, call ahead registration.
Use modifications to ensure adequate social distancing.
Facilities need to maintain a 14-day supply of personal protective equipment.
Acute care hospitals must maintain 30% bed capacity, per facility, for a potential surge of COVID-19 patients.
No visitors except in end-of-life situations or assisting vulnerable populations.
Dr. Jackson says they have gone above the state’s guidelines. They have implemented ozone water disinfection which kills any known virus or bacteria on any surface.
“Also, in each room, we are putting HEPA, medical-grade HEPA filters in each room and that will filter out any bacteria and any virus. It cleans the air in each room in ten minutes. The air in the office is going to be cleaner than it has ever been,” Dr. Jackson said.
The office will also be implementing hydro-static cleaning.
“Where you hydrolyze the water, you go around and you spray everything in your office in the treatment rooms and what it does, it clings to every surface in the office and it kills the bacteria and the viruses there,” Dr. Jackson said.
Most of the new procedures seem to be there to stay at Chandler Park Dental Care.
“I see that as a permanent change for the way we do business around here,” Dr. Jackson said.
To make an appointment or for more information on Chandler Park Dental Care click Here.
