By now, you all are well aware of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Bryant Consultants, an on-call dental consulting agency, values the health and safety of our clients similarly as you do for your very own patients. We have a helpful list of questions that you can ask your patients to prescreen for coronavirus. Additionally, we encourage every practice to prescreen patients just prior to their appointment. Patients can be instructed to call upon arriving at your parking lot because their symptoms could have changed overnight since they made their appointment. For hearing impaired, please get creative on ways to communicate with your patients. Perhaps you could recommend a text message or use of social media messenger.
Coronavirus Prescreening Questions
- Are you currently experiencing, or have you experienced fever, malaise, or flu-like symptoms within the past 14 days?
- Have you experienced a recent onset of respiratory problems, such as a cough or difficulty in breathing within the past 14 days?
- Have you, within the past 14 days, traveled to Wuhan city, China and its surrounding areas, or visited any area with documented Coronavirus transmission?
- Have you come into contact with a patient with confirmed Coronavirus infection within the past 14 days?
- Have you come into contact with people who come from Wuhan City, China, and its surrounding areas, or people from an area with recently documented fever or respiratory problems within the past 14 days?
- Are there at least two people with documented experience of fever or respiratory problems within the last 14 days having close contact with you?
- Have you recently participated in any gathering, meetings, or had close contact with many unacquainted people?
- Have you traveled anywhere outside the US in the last 14 days?
Additional measures that you can take to ensure the health and safety of anyone entering your practice is to adhere to the following guidelines:
- Ensure that your team is protected with proper safety measures.
- Provide patients that have a fever, cough, or respiratory illness with a mask before they enter your office and are escorted to the exam room.
- Avoid having patients sign in at the front desk. Instead, kindly ask for their name and allow the receptionist to check them in.
- Ask the patient to wash their hands thoroughly, and use a hydrogen peroxide rinse afterward.
- Be sure to thoroughly disinfect any surfaces that the patient touches by adhering to OSAH guidelines.
You may need to take additional precautions to clean your office or any surface touched by the patient. As of March 16, the American Dental Association advised that dental practices across the nation cease nonelective care procedures for the next several weeks. There are creative ways to determine whether your patient should be seen immediately, or rescheduled for a later date. Please review our newest blog regarding telehealth, and how best to assist your patients during the coronavirus pandemic.
For the latest information on the coronavirus and how it may affect dental practices and their employees, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We ask that you direct questions or concerns to us directly or call (877) 768-4799.
