Resuming Elective Dental Treatment

As many of you know by now, Governor Larry Hogan and the Maryland Department of Health issued new orders that allowed dental practices to resume elective procedures effective 7AM on Thursday, May 7, 2020. Since then, we here at the practice of Victor R. Siegel, DDS have been busy ensuring our office is compliant with state law as well as CDC and ADA guidelines. We are happy to say we feel confident that we are ready to resume seeing patients for their oral health care needs.

Drs. Victor Siegel and Aviva Kramer have taken hours of continuing education webinars on COVID-19. We have spent countless hours researching the best protocols and equipment to keep you and our team safe. While infection control has always been a top priority in our office, we have incorporated increased measures at this time to ensure the safety of our staff and patients.

Here is a partial list of the changes we have made to ensure your safety:

• We have removed unnecessary magazines and other objects from the reception area, and instead have employed a virtual waiting room.
• We have adjusted our office hours and appointment lengths to allow for adequate time to clean and sanitize our treatment rooms.
• We have installed Plexiglas "Sneeze-Guards" at the Front Desk.
• Whenever possible, we will employ a "touchless" check out procedure.
• Doctors and Staff will be wearing additional PPE to include, N95 or KN95 masks (respirators), head covers, protective gowns and face shields.
• We have installed IQAir Health Pro Plus air sanitation systems to filter the Operatory air. (While the SARS-C0V-2 virus measures 0.12microns, these units are capable of filtering particles as small as 0.003microns.)
• All Operatory surfaces will be cleaned with disinfectant wipes and 70% Ethyl Alcohol.
• The Operatories will be cold fogged with 200ppm hypochlorous acid (HOCL). HOCL is nature's powerful bactericidal and viricidal substance. It is the same substance produced by white blood cells to fight infection, yet it is totally safe for human contact. It is even used in wound care and eye care products. It is also used on fresh produce to kill bacteria without leaving any type of residue.

From its inception, the philosophy of this practice has been to provide state of the art oral health care in a relaxed and friendly environment, to fulfill your dental needs, and to address any concerns that you may have. We treat all of our patients as we would our very own family members.

Please know that we understand this is a stressful time. Your safety and health are our primary concern. When you are ready to schedule your next appointment or if you have any questions please call us at 301-963-4330.

Sincerely,

Victor R. Siegel, DDS

Aviva Kramer, DDS