After several weeks closed or attending only emergencies, dental clinics begin to prepare the reopening after the health crisis caused by the coronavirus.
Now, the hygiene and safety protocols in dental practices will vary considerably. Obviously, due to the nature of dentistry and the treatments that are performed, the risk of exposure to contagion for professionals and patients is high. In addition to the impossibility of maintaining the recommended safety distances, it is influenced by the fact that the virus spreads mainly through respiratory drops (aerosols) and by direct contact with infected secretions.
For this reason, it's necessary to prepare the post-crisis reopening period created by the pandemic and adapt the safety and hygiene protocol in dental clinics to the new situation. For this, new products and anti-coronavirus protection materials will be necessary, and from Dentaltix we work tirelessly to offer you the most complete range of products that ensure you return to work with the maximum safety conditions for personnel clinic and patients.
How will the new Anti-covid19 Security Protocol be like in dental clinics?
The specific protocols that the Ministry of Health has assigned to health professionals for the correct approach to the coronavirus are advancing at great speed and include greater security measures than those originally proposed.
At the moment there are no official protocols that definitively address how the dentist should proceed in his daily practice. In our previous blog article on March 20, we already gave you the general guidelines on " Care to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the dental clinic. " We now have the Dental Action Plan for the post-epidemic period COVID- 19 carried out by the General Council of Dentists where a series of generic measures are established for the reopening of dental clinics :
- Involvement of all the clinic staff: As in any business, it will be necessary to check and monitor the health status of all the staff in order to return to work. In the case of dental clinics, the basic training of the entire clinical team on the new protocols to adopt will also be key.
- Telephone triage prior to the appointment in consultation: Through a simple questionnaire, this triage is intended to know the general health status regarding the Covid-19 and find out the reason for consultation of the patient.
- Instructions to the patient before going to the clinic: Go unaccompanied (as far as possible), without decorations (earrings, rings, bracelets ...), at the time of the appointment to avoid unnecessary waiting, keep the safety distance if you meet other patients and, preferably, pay by card.
- Checking possible symptoms of all people in the clinic: It is recommended to take the temperature of the patient upon arrival. In the event that the patient has symptoms (high temperature, dry cough, shortness of breath when breathing ...) we will avoid treatment in the dental clinic until recovery. And, if the patient has already visited the dental clinic, it is recommended to put a surgical mask on the patient before leaving the clinic.
- Protective material for professionals and also for patients: Whenever feasible, it is recommended to install a methacrylate screen in the reception area and to signal minimum safety distances in space. It is also recommended to offer protection material at the entrance of the clinic such as: hydro-alcoholic gel, disposable shoes and masks, protective glasses and even a disposable cap.
- Adaptation of the common spaces of the dental clinic to the new security measures: In the waiting room and other common areas of the clinic, any unnecessary material will be removed and the space will be adapted to ensure safety distance between patients. In addition, unnecessary mobility of people within the clinic will be avoided.
- Preparation of the cabinet before the patient's entry: Plan in advance, as far as possible, the treatment to be carried out to organize the material and instruments strictly necessary, as well as prepare the necessary PPE. It is also recommended to place plastic or aluminum film in certain areas (those considered to be at greater risk of splashing or aerosols).
- During dental treatment: Keep the door closed, ask the patient to disinfect their hands with hydroalcoholic gel and do not touch anything, put on a waterproof plastic bib and, if necessary, provide them eye protection glasses. Before proceeding with any intraoral examination or treatment, it is recommended that the patient use a mouthwash for 30 seconds in order to decrease the viral load. It is recalled that some studies have shown that chlorhexidine may not be useful for this virus, so it is preferable to resort to a mouthwash of 1% hydrogen peroxide, 0.2% povidone iodine or cetylpyridinium. In addition, the use of high-flow aspiration is convenient in order to decrease the viral load generated by aerosols. The vacuum cleaner should be as close as possible to the area in which you are working to minimize contamination and the generation of aerosols. It is also recommended, whenever possible, to avoid using the air-water syringe for generating aerosols. It is preferable to dry with gauze. And, in case of resorting to rotary appliances (always with a non-return system), the use of disposable covers is highly convenient, in addition to the necessary sterilization between one patient and another.
- Protective material for dentists, clinical assistants, hygienists and administration personnel: Depending on the level of exposure, it will be necessary to use suitable personal protective equipment including an FFP2 mask, double pair of gloves, hat, eye protection or face shield, disposable waterproof gown and shoe covers.
- Disinfection process between patients: Of course, all standard universal standards for disinfection and sterilization of the material must be followed scrupulously. But in addition, it is important to follow the new protocol for cleaning and disinfecting the cabinet that details the removal of PPE and protections that we have placed, the thorough cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and areas of contact with the patient, and ventilate the cabinet between 5 and 10 minutes. after each patient.
If you want to know more, we recommend you read the recommendations of the General Council of Dentists included in the Dental Action Plan for the post-epidemic period COVID-19 where you will find very detailed guidelines, examples of questionnaires for triage of patients, infographics, checklists to monitor the new protocol ...
What products or materials will be necessary to deal with Covid-19 in your dental clinic?
At Dentaltix we offer dental clinics a wide range of sanitary protection materials which, Furthermore, in the coming days, we will continue expanding and reinforcing to ensure the best possible supply of this type of product.
FFP2 Masks:
For dental clinic professionals the use of FFP2 masks is recommended / KN95 prepared for protection against biological agents.
If you continue to use the usual surgical mask , it is recommended to change them every 2 hours to avoid deterioration and loss of effectiveness.
Protective screens or eye protection glasses:
As recommended by the Action Plan of the Council of Dentists, in cases of higher risk and exposure it is convenient to use glasses for eye protection.
Hand sanitizers:
Especially for patients at the reception and subsequent passage to the cabinet, the use of Hycoalcoholic Gel is recommended for hand disinfection.
The most popular among dental clinics for its efficacy, texture and odor is this Pool Chemical Gel available at 1 liter bottle.
Disinfectants for surfaces and environments:
In our section of "Disinfectants for dental clinic surfaces" you will find great variety of products to suit all disinfection needs.
Gloves, gown, cap and dental chair protection ...:
In our section of sanitary protection materials you can find the material currently available in stock. These are some examples:
In addition, in the coming days, we will continue to expand and strengthen our catalog to ensure the best possible supply of this type of product.
Extraoral aerosol aspirator:
As a safety measure, it is recommended to vacuum the nebulization of the turbine and the vapors that are generated during the notching of the tooth and other procedures.
For this the use of extraoral aspirators offers a level of efficacy against COVID-19 and other types of viruses and bacteria of 99.5%. From Dentatlix we recommend two models:
Air purifiers:
In addition to the recommended ventilation between patients, these devices have a bactericidal and viricidal filtration system that helps in the elimination of 99.99% of particles and bacteria. From Dentaltix we recommend two models from the specialized manufacturer Natéo Santé :
Autoclaves fully operational:
More than ever, the use of the autoclave in dental clinics will be constant. In our section of dental clinic autoclaves you can see all the available models.
Although surely you are now especially interested in the Melaquick 12+: Fast Autoclave (which sterilize up to 12 handpieces in just 7 minutes).
If you have any questions about the coronavirus or its action protocols, the Council of Dentists makes all the information available for healthcare professionals on its website, and also, the entire Dentaltix team remains at your disposal stronger than ever. We are working tirelessly to ship as soon as possible and expand the supply of material to ensure the appropriate level of protection in clinics. Now, more than ever, we want to "be by your side" and, together, overcome the situation.
We hope this blog article has been of great help to you, and if you think it may be useful for other colleagues by profession ... do not hesitate to share it or post it on your social networks!
