Infection Control

Our office is constantly developing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) protocols which exceed the current recommendations from the CDC guidelines to increase our patient’s safety. It is important that our patients understand how much we value their health and safety. As part of your health care team, we sincerely value your health, especially as we continue to deal with the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. These specific measures are all aimed at reducing the potential viral and bacterial particles in the immediate breathing area of our doctors, staff and patients. In reducing this risk, we allow for safe and efficient dental treatment. These measures include:

1. Protective gowns, face shields, head caps and covers for the dentist, dental team and the patient will be in place.
2. Rubber dams or similar isolation devices will continue to be used to limit aerosolized contaminants and maintain a highly isolated field to protect our patients.
3.   Strategically placed air filtrations systems will be added to significantly reduce any potential scatter of aerosolized contaminants throughout the entire office. These air purifier’s combine the top five technologies – AHPCO®, Bi-Polar® ionization, germicidal ultraviolet, True HEPA and carbon filtration into one product. This air purifier is engineered to tackle even the most challenging indoor air quality issues so you and your family can breathe easy. This air purifier technology is capable of removing smoke, dust, pollen, dander and other allergy-causing particulates as small as 0.1 microns from the air.
   
4. Each dental operatory treatment room will have an oral aerosol vacuum device positioned in close proximity to the “treatment field” (in addition to our present HSE or high speed evacuation suction) which is designed to remove potential viral and bacterial particles away from the immediate breathing area of the doctor, assistant and patient. This specialized vacuum/filtration device is designed to remove aerosolized particles as small as 0.3 microns; the COVID-19 is 1.0 micron.

Infection control and universal precautions protect clients and staff alike. Everyone benefits from rigorous infection control — you, your dentist, and the dental team. The cornerstone in a good and safe dental practice is the element of trust. You should feel free to discuss this topic with Dr. Lomke and receive a straightforward answer.

Dr. Lomke and our entire team follow procedures recommended by several federal agencies: the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These measures include:

• Disinfectant hand soap
• Gloves and face masks
• Chemical disinfection of countertops and surfaces
• Sterilization of all equipment before every use
• Disposable materials

We sterilize all reusable equipment, including dental hand pieces. We use an autoclave, a device that kills bacteria and viruses by steam, heat, and pressure.

The best defense against disease is information. The more you know, the better equipped you are to make wise decisions about your health care. The more you know about our daily procedures and policies, the more comfortable you will feel.