How Your Pediatric Dentist Prepares for Your Child’s Appointment

You and your family are doing fairly well with the whole COVID-19 situation, all things considered. Your child has been adjusting to online learning. You’ve been getting used to working from home. You’re all social distancing and wearing masks and washing your hands as often as you should. One day, your child’s pediatric dentist calls and say it’s time for their biannual checkup and cleaning. Is it even safe to go to the dentist during these uncertain times? Yes! Rest assured that all dentists are following several safety protocols in order to keep their practice as clean and germ-free as possible. Keep reading to learn about some of these precautionary measures.

More Frequent Disinfection

Just as they have always done, your child’s dental team will be sure to thoroughly disinfect every instrument they use in between patients with an autoclave. This device heats up on the inside to kill any germs that may be present on the instruments. You can rest easy knowing that the dentist will never use an unclean instrument to treat your son or daughter. In addition, all of the surfaces of the service stations will be wiped down after each service. If you or your child happen to touch a surface in the office, you shouldn’t need to worry about infection since virtually the entire office is cleaned between appointments.

Having Patients Sanitize

All of your pediatric dentist’s staff members are asked to apply hand sanitizer after they come into contact with another person, such as during your child’s treatment. To make this easier, hand sanitizing stations have been set up throughout the office. The dentist’s staff will ask that, when you and your child enter the office, that you both disinfect your hands to avoid bringing outside germs into the practice.

Asking Sick Patients to Reschedule

If your child enters the office with symptoms of the coronavirus (such as cough, fever, or shortness of breath), the dental team will very likely ask that you reschedule their appointment. Typically, it will be rescheduled for a time at least two weeks down the road to give your child enough time to recover. This is done to prevent the virus from spreading to the dentist’s staff and other patients.

COVID-19 has changed so much about our daily lives, including how dentists run their practices. However, you can trust that your pediatric dentist will do their utmost to ensure your child’s safety while treating your little one.

About the Author

Dr. Amar Singh is a pediatric dentist in Levittown, PA who earned his dental doctorate at Harvard University College of Dentistry. He is also a Board-Certified pediatric dentist, which demonstrates his commitment to clinical excellence and continuing education. He loves nothing more than helping a child achieve their brightest, healthiest smile! To learn more about how Dr. Singh’s team is keeping the practice as clean as possible, visit their website or call (267) 580-9657.