Is It Safe to Bring My Child to the Dentist During Coronavirus?
As a parent, you always want to do what is best for your child and ensure you are keeping them healthy and safe – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. As New York State recently allowed dentists to reopen their practices, you may be wondering, is it safe to bring my child to the dentist?
The answer is, yes. Not only is it safe, but it is more important than ever to ensure your child is staying on top of their oral health, particularly if you have already had to delay their routine cleaning and exam due to COVID-19.
Even if your child has been maintaining daily toothbrushing and flossing, the pediatric dentists and hygienists at Woodbury Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics will ensure that your child’s teeth are properly cleaned during their visit and examine their teeth and gums for any signs of decay or infection. This is important because by having their teeth examined regularly, the dentist will be able to help your child prevent future dental issues that may become more serious and costly in the future.
During their visits, the dentists can ensure that they are providing your child with treatments, such as fluoride or sealants and they can also review the importance of preventative care and tips for dental health while social distancing so your child will have a healthy smile for years to come.
Reputable dental offices, like Woodbury Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, have always had safe and clean offices, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, parents can stay rest-assured that their office is among the safest spaces for dentistry for their family. Your child’s dental office should be following the recommended safety guidelines outlined by the CDC, ADA, AAPD, OSHA and government officials. In addition to the sterilization of all instruments, your dental office should be:
- Wearing all of the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) necessary to keep both your child and staff members safe
- Frequently disinfecting all exposed surfaces often and in between each patient
- Taking and recording all staff members temperatures prior to each shift, to ensure only healthy personnel are treating your family
- Taking temperatures and guiding patients to handwashing stations upon entering offices
- Replacing disposable sleeves and barrier tape in between every patient
- Implementing Social Distancing Policies within the office
- Eliminating or minimizing the amount of paperwork passed between patients and staff members
- Rescheduling any patients who are experiencing flu-like illnesses or are symptomatic
Click here for a list of all of our infection control and social distancing protocols and steps you can take to make your child’s visit to the dentist even safer!
To schedule an appointment for your child, please visit our Contact Us page or text/call our office at 516-921-0400. We are looking forward to seeing you and your family’s smiles in our office again!