Updates to our check-in protocol as of June 15, 2021
As California begins to re-open and there are changes the mask requirements for fully vaccinated individuals, we know you may wonder that means for your next dental visit.
The CDC and California Department of Public Health states that face coverings and social distancing should still remain in place in healthcare settings, regardless of vaccination status. Therefore, we will continue to implement the same protocols, requiring masks, social distancing, screening questions, temperature checks and a closed waiting room.
Thank you for understanding and helping to ensure the safety of our team and patients here at Rockridge Dental Studio.
The CDC and California Department of Public Health states that face coverings and social distancing should still remain in place in healthcare settings, regardless of vaccination status. Therefore, we will continue to implement the same protocols, requiring masks, social distancing, screening questions, temperature checks and a closed waiting room.
Thank you for understanding and helping to ensure the safety of our team and patients here at Rockridge Dental Studio.
Our office has reopened as of June 1st, 2020.
We look forward to see you soon! Please review the additional measures we've taken to ensure the safety of both our patients and our team:
1.) We'll be asking you to fill out a health screening form (as seen below) prior to your appointment:
- Do you/they have a fever or have you/they felt hot or feverish recently (14-21 days)?
- Are you/they having shortness of breath or other difficulties breathing?
- Do you/they have a cough?
- Any other flu-like symptoms such as gastrointestinal upset, headache or fatigue?
- Have you/they experienced recent loss of taste or smell?
- Are you/they in contact with any confirmed COVID-19 positive patients? Patients who are well but have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should consider postponing their elective treatment.
- Are you/they over the age of 60?
- Do you/they have heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, diabetes or any auto-immune disorders?
- Have you/they traveled in the past 14 days to any regions affected by COVID-19 (as relevant to your location)?
2) Limited entry: We ask that adult patients attend appointments alone if possible, and minors attend with one responsible party only.
3.) In-office Screening: Please arrive with a mask on. We will be taking your temperature (using a touch-less point and shoot thermometer) upon entry. Please use the hand sanitizer at the check-in counter when you arrive, and remember to brush & floss your teeth at home prior to coming for your visit.
Additional measures we will be taking during this time:
We have always complied with strict OSHA-mandated protocols to maintain a highly sterile environment within our office. We've taken additional measures in cooperation with the evolving updates through the CDC, OSHA, CDA & the ADA:
Employee Health Screening: All employees and affiliated providers undergo health history screenings before commencing employment. In addition, we strictly enforce sick policies that require employees suffering from communicable illnesses to stay home from work until they have clearance by a physician to return and have received supervisor approval. Employees who have traveled to a country with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Level 3 Travel Health Notice are required to self-quarantine for 14 days prior to returning to work. At this time, employees are required to wear masks at all times. Employees are also having their temperatures monitored daily prior to starting their shift.
Patient Health Screening: Due to concerns about patient and employee safety, we ask that all patients experiencing flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and difficulty breathing) to reschedule their appointments. Patients will be asked to complete a digital COVID-19 screening form a few days prior to their appointment and a temperature check prior to all visits in accordance with CDC and American Dental Association recommended guidelines.
Sterilization & Safety Procedures: The foundation of our infection control procedures have always been based on requirements established by the CDC that state that all body fluids are treated as infectious because patients with bloodborne infections can be asymptomatic or unaware that they are infected. This includes body fluids in airborne droplets from coughs or sneezes.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) used in our office which includes full-coverage gowns, eye-protective wear with side protection, full face shields, surgical masks and N95 or KN95 respirators and latex-free gloves are designed to ensure that no fluids can be passed between staff and patients.
Strict surface sterilization procedures are followed to clean and disinfect all operatory surfaces between patients and, after each use, all dental instruments are disinfected and heat sterilized in medical steam autoclave machines in individual sterile pouches.
Common Area Disinfecting: As a result of the current coronavirus concern, we have taken added precautions in the common areas. All office areas are disinfected every hour. This includes a thorough wipe down of all hard surfaces, such as door handles, door knobs, tables, chairs and front office counters with a disinfectant wipe. In addition, patients are being advised to practice social distancing in our lobby area or wait in their cars if preferred.
According to the CDC, the most important steps we all can take to avoid infection from airborne diseases are frequent hand washing with soap and water and regular cleansing of highly-used surfaces with disinfectant. We recommend that all our patients take these basic precautions.
Multiple hand sanitizing stations have been placed throughout the office. Please use the hand sanitizers upon entering and leaving our office.
A medical grade HEPA filtration & air purification unit has been placed in both our reception & clinic areas (Surgically Clean Air). Our units utilize both H13 HEPA filtration and UV Light to effectively target and filter 99.5% of harmful ultrafine particles down to 0.003 microns in size. This is 100 times smaller than what is achieved with ordinary air filtration technology and 10 times smaller than a virus)
We appreciate your cooperation during this time. We've scheduled to resume our normal scheduling starting on June 1st and will be in close communication with you as things evolve. We've added extra work days to accommodate our patients schedules in June and will give you our promise to do everything in our control to maintain a positive, safe environment for everyone during this uncertain time.
Stay well & we look forward to seeing you all soon!
Dr. Koida & The Rockridge Dental Studio Team
March 17th: Temporary Office Closure
In an abundance of caution and in the best interest of our patients we are kindly asking you to assist us in reducing the potential risk of exposure in our community. We will be temporarily adjusting our office schedule & policies to reflect the current situation and to provide a safer environment for our team & patients. We recognize that some of these health precautions may cause a temporary inconvenience - but please be assured that your health and the health of all members of our community is our number one priority,
If you are a current patient and have a dental emergency, please call our office at (510) 652-1517 and we will respond as quickly as possible. Please also watch our Facebook page for updates about our re-opening date.
Even though our office is closed, we are still here for our patients. Be safe & stay healthy!
Dr. Lindsey Koida & The Rockridge Dental Studio Team
If you are a current patient and have a dental emergency, please call our office at (510) 652-1517 and we will respond as quickly as possible. Please also watch our Facebook page for updates about our re-opening date.
Even though our office is closed, we are still here for our patients. Be safe & stay healthy!
Dr. Lindsey Koida & The Rockridge Dental Studio Team
We provide General Dentistry for the whole family, and specialize in patients with dental anxiety. Our goal is to provide you and your family with excellent, comprehensive care in a warm and comfortable environment. We're known for our conservative and practical approach to dentistry, and believe that less is more. We prioritize providing our patients with quality one-on-one time to form life-long relationships with our patients.