Important Information Regarding COVID-19

Dear Valued Patient,

As you may well be aware, on March 15,2020, the regulatory body for dentists in Ontario, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) mandated that all elective, non-essential treatment be suspended in response to Public Health Ontario and the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) directives to counteract the spread of COVID-19.

On May 26th, the CMOH has changed Directive #2, which now allows dentists in Ontario to resume all deferred, non-essential and elective services, in addition to emergency and urgent care, pending regulatory RCDSO guidance.

The RCDSO published new guidance on May 31st with detailed guidelines on managing risks during in-person dental care in the current climate. These can be reviewed visiting www.rcdso.org.

COVID-19 has presented new challenges in terms of patient and staff safety. Protecting the health of my patients and staff has been of paramount importance always and is especially so now.

We have always adhered to and/or exceeded the strictest guidelines for infection control standards, wearing disposable full gowns for procedures for many years as well as other PPE.

We use hospital-grade disinfectants after each procedure and following the latest instrument disinfection protocols, using a Miele washer/disinfector and a hospital-grade Steris sterilizer. Bacterial spore testing is done daily to ensure sterilization occurs properly.

We would encourage you to review the guidelines, as we will be following and/or exceeding the recommendations accordingly.

There will be changes to your office experience.

We will be asking COVID-19 screening questions by telephone before your appointment and then again when you arrive at the office. A copy of the screening questionnaire will be emailed to you for review.

When you arrive for your appointment, you will find the office doors locked. You will be asked to call a dedicated cell phone number to let us know you have arrived. You will be screened again at the door.

We ask that you bring your own mask to wear in the office. We will ask that you wear it at all times, except for direct treatment. If you do not have your own, we will provide a mask for you. Disposable shoe covers will be provided.

Only patients will be allowed inside the office, with some exceptions. No accompanying guests will be allowed into the office. We ask that escorts or family wait for you in their vehicle in our parking lot.

You will be asked to use hand sanitizer immediately upon entering the office.

Appointments will be spread out to allow physical distancing between patients, to improve safety.

You will notice added levels of PPE, such as face shields and N95 masks.

Air purifiers will be in each treatment room. These have true HEPA filtration, ionization and UV light air purification, which will aid in removal of airborne pathogens.

We would ask that you consider payment for services in advance, to minimize contact for financial transactions.

These protocols are being implemented to create the safest possible environment for patients and staff. If you have questions regarding these new measures, we would be happy to answer them. Simply contact us.

We thank you for your understanding and support during these times and look forward to providing you with excellent and safe care.

Sincerely,

Dr. Maurizio Casciato and Staff