Keeping You Safe
As always, patient and staff health are our top priorities at Ziese Family Dentistry. We have always held our office to the highest standards of care set by the CDC and OSHA. But, due to COVID-19, we have decided to take additional precautions that are above and beyond current guidelines. As a result, we have made significant investments in our office to keep our patients safe. While your experience at Ziese Family Dentistry may feel a little different, our concern for your health remains the same. We hope these changes continue to maintain your confidence in our dental office.
Office Air Filtration and Disinfection – Surgically Clean Air
We have purchased some additional technologies and devices that will further help evacuate, filter and disinfect the office atmosphere for aerosols, VOCs, particulates, mercury and pathogens, including COVID-19.
Extra-Oral Evacuator Devices
We’ve installed extra-oral evacuators for the operatory and hygiene areas that will accompany procedures involving aerosols. These units include a variety of filtration technologies, including HEPA filtration, to suction and evacuate the atmosphere within inches of your mouth. These devices are designed to filter for aerosols, VOCs, particulates, mercury and pathogens, including COVID-19.
Surgically Clean Air Devices
We’ve installed three (x3) medical-grade air purification units manufactured Airgle, which have been used by hospitals in the front-line treatment of COVID-19. These air purification devices, include HEPA-Rx filters, activated carbon, germicidal UV-C+ disinfection, hydroxyl radical reactivity chambers, and a revitalizing negative ION chamber. These units are strategically placed throughout the office to ensure sufficient filtration and disinfection of the office atmosphere for airborne pathogens, including COVID-19.
Intra-Oral Isolation & Suction Devices
We have upgraded our oral suction system to the “Dry-Shield” intra-oral isolation system. This system creates a negative pressure zone in the mouth during a procedure to provide advanced suctioning and evacuation of aerosols, particulates and pathogens. We will ask each patient to consider using this device during their procedure. There are several sizes for your comfort.
Office Equipment Sterilization and Disinfection
Existing CDC & OSHA Sterilization Protocols
We will continue to employ our existing CDC and OSHA approved protocols and devices for sterilizing equipment. Staff will also employ existing protocols to routinely disinfect door handles, chairs, counter-tops, computers, pens/pencils, etc.
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)
We’ve purchased three (x3) MAXAIR CAPR® Systems for advanced respiratory protection against pathogens, including COVID-19. These respiratory systems are approved by the CDC and employed by healthcare staff the frontlines of COVID-19. Dr. Siri Ziese and her staff will wear the MAXAIR CAPR to help mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 during dental procedures. Staff will also wear PPE that meets current CDC and State guidelines, including N95/KN95 and Level 3 masks, as well as surgical gowns, caps, gloves, and face shields. At this time, State guidelines require patients to wear a face mask or cloth covering to their appointment but can be removed during treatment.
COVID-19 Screening
Patients will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms via a written questionnaire and touch-less temperature check at the time of the appointment. Staff will also be screened every morning for potential COVID-19 symptoms, including touch-less temperature checks.
Online Health Forms
To minimize patient time inside our office, we have implemented online health forms that can be completed in advance of an appointment. Our website includes a link to a patient’s online “account” where health forms will be available prior to an appointment. We will also email patients the directions to access their online “account.” Please contact us at (530) 622-2862 or via email at office@ziesefamilydentistry.com if you have problems accessing your online account. If a patient is unable to complete their health forms online prior to their appointment, then a disinfected iPad or pen/paper will be provided to complete their health forms in our lobby.