Our Commitment to Safety
The health and safety of our patients has always been a top priority at Smiles by the Sea. Dental offices are, by nature and by law, incredibly clean and sanitary. Now, more than ever, we take great pride in having an office our patients feel safe visiting. We are committed to your health and safety and do everything we can daily to ease your mind about coming to our dental office in Hampton, NH.
Before You Arrive
Before every dental appointment the following safety protocol will occur:
- Pre-screening: Answer brief questions about your health and wellness via phone.
- Forms: Fill out online consent forms and questionnaires about current health.
- Heads-up: Please call us if you are sick so we can reschedule.
Upon Arrival
When you get to the dentist’s office, the team will get every patient into a chair as quickly as possible. You will be asked to:
- Check in: Do this in person or call us from your vehicle and wait in your “virtual waiting room.” You will be notified when your appointment time arrives and you can come into the office with minimal contact or exposure to others.
- Temperature check: Get a no-touch temperature check quickly as you enter the office.
- Take precautions: Wear a mask in the office the entire time except when you are undergoing a cleaning, check-up, or procedure.
- Wait: We make every wait as brief as we can to respect your time and obligations and allow more time between patients for less contact between people.
- Sanitize: Clean your hands with antibacterial solution when you arrive and as needed.
What to Expect at the Dentist’s Office
Our dental office cleaning standards are high and they begin from the moment a patient steps into the waiting room. Here is what to expect from our advanced safety protocols:
- Sanitized surfaces: From doorknobs to tablets, pens to seating, dental chairs to bathrooms, every surface that can be wiped down is wiped down multiple times daily.
- Masks: All employees wear masks inside and all office visitors are asked to wear masks for the entirety of their visit except when dental work is being done.
- Hand sanitization: Hand sanitizing stations are positioned throughout the office so employees and visitors can clean their hands anytime.
- Clean equipment: Enhanced sterilization measures are employed for all dental tools, which goes far beyond any typical cleaning practices.
Additional Safety Protocols
Feel safe in the hands of our entire dental team, which has undergone advanced staff training in health and wellness safety and disease prevention. We are prepared to carry out a series of tasks intended to keep every patient healthy:
- Daily team health checks
- Wearing of masks and face shields
- Installation of clear barriers
- Administration of brief anti-microbial rinse
- Maintenance of in-office HEPA filters
- Removal of magazines and toys in the waiting room
- Enforcement of social distancing
- Cleaning after every appointment
- Deep cleaning every evening
Get the Safest Oral Health Care from Smiles by the Sea
At Smiles by the Sea, we take every precaution to make you feel comfortable at the dentist’s office. It’s critical to keep up with oral healthcare – the wellness of your teeth and gums is a direct influence on overall well-being.
If you need an extended patient appointment which allows us to do more dentistry in a single visit, we can arrange that. If you want your entire family to come for similar appointment times, we can work to make it happen. If you have an immunocompromised member of the family, we can accommodate them and still ensure that they get their oral health needs met.
Our standard cleaning procedures plus heightened instrument sterilization means excellent dental care in all ways. Don’t let any fear of any kind hold you back from important care of your teeth. Contact us at our Hampton, NH, dental office to schedule an appointment.
Advanced Staff Training
Each member of our team has completed additional awareness and prevention programs to enhance their knowledge and preparedness.
Safety Champion
Each day, one person will be designated to guide our Commitment to Safety. This includes greeting patients, answering questions, ensuring social distancing, and overall monitoring.
Daily Health Checks of Our Team
No contact temperature checks and a quick set of questions will ensure our team is ready, willing and able to provide safe dental care – every day.
No Handshakes or Hugs
We truly do love our patients. However, we will save our hearty welcomes and goodbyes for a later date when things are “back to normal”.
Personal Hygiene Standards
Along with short hair or hair that is worn up; this means no long fingernails, no jewelry, and no watches for any team member while in the office.
No Office Tours
We enjoy starting every new patient visit by showing off our amazing practice. These tours will have to wait for your next visit.
Change Work Clothes at Work
In the past, you might have seen us at the grocery store in our stylish scrubs. No longer. Now, we change into and out of our newly-cleaned scrubs at the office, every day.
Anti-Microbial Rinse
In addition to brushing and flossing before your visit, we will provide an Oracare solution to rinse in your mouth for 60 seconds and reduce bacteria.
Virtual Waiting Room
Now, you can check-in from your car. As a result, you are able to minimize contact with others, bypass the reception area, and go directly to your treatment room.
No Patient Gloves Allowed
Minimizing cross-contamination is an important part of our plan. We will ask you to dispose of any outside gloves before you enter.
Sequenced Patient Scheduling
Plain and simple, we are not seeing as many patients. We are allocating more time between visits for coming, going and cleaning.
Pre-Screening of Every Patient
A quick health questionnaire and consent form along with a no-touch temperature check will be completed when you arrive at our office.
Expanded Patient Appointments
In an effort to save you time and multiple exposures, we are offering extended appointments. This allows us to do more dentistry in a single visit.
Hospital-Grade Hand Sanitizing Station
Every patient will be asked to thoroughly disinfect their hands before entering the clinical area of our practice.
Social Distancing in Place
Fewer chairs in our reception area, helpful signs and one-way traffic in our treatment area make 6’ spacing a practical reality.
Cleaning After Every Appointment
We are super clean as we thoroughly wipe, sanitize, and disinfect all instruments, equipment and surfaces in each operatory after every patient.
Deep Cleaning Every Evening
Along with cleaning and sanitizing during the day, we take things to another level at night with a thorough top-to-bottom scrub down.
CDC-Approved Instrument Sterilization
This is standard procedure at all times, and nothing has changed. Anything that goes near your mouth is heat and pressure cleaned between every use.
N95 & ASTM Level 3 Masks
The beautiful smiles of our clinical team – dentists, hygienists, and assistants – will be protected behind double-masking at all times.
Front Desk Masks
Even our friendly administrative team will be wearing ASTM Level 3 masks. Don’t worry. They are smiling behind those masks!
Face Shields
Two masks are not enough. Our clinical team will also protect you and themselves through the use of FDA Approved PET face shields.
Disposable, Protective Coats & Hats
When appropriate, our team will utilize another layer of protection to minimize the spread or absorption of airborne particles.
Advanced Chairside Suction
Whenever possible, we will activate high speed evacuation to minimize aerosol contamination and improve air quality.
HEPA Air Filtration
Our air has never been cleaner. We have added HEPA-grade filters to our HVAC system along with stand-alone air cleaners in each operatory.
No Magazines or Activities
This may make our reception area a little less exciting, but it makes it much safer as well.
Installed Clear Barriers
Hard plastic guards have been placed strategically throughout the practice – and are cleaned regularly – to help block the movement of airborne particles.