Good News! VCCID has partnered with Dental Card. Get up to $25,000 in financing for dental treatments.
We’ve got some great news – guided by WorkSafeBC, the province’s dental licensing body (CDSBC), and BC’s chief health officer, we’ve been given the go-ahead to reopen!
As part of health guidelines in BC’s “Phase 3” Restart Plan, there are still some precautions we need to take in order to safeguard you, the general public, and everyone on our staff. That means we’re making some changes to how we serve you, so read on to find out more.
As we open our clinic, our biggest concern is making sure that your health is protected. To do that, we need to avoid treating people who are currently ill or have come into contact with someone who has been ill within the past 14 days. With that in mind, here’s what you can expect during Phase 3:
When you call in to make an appointment, we’ll ask you a few questions to determine your risk level. If your risk of catching COVID-19 is low, we’ll be able to book your appointment. For those with a higher chance of being COVID-positive, appointments will be deferred by 14 days. If there are no signs of illness during that time, then we’ll proceed with your treatment.
We have additional safety measures in place to see patients on short-notice for dental emergencies. However, in cases where we feel that we can’t safely treat a dental emergency in our office, patients will be referred to the nearest available hospital for medical care.
If you missed an appointment during the quarantine period, or you have an appointment scheduled for the coming weeks, don’t worry – we haven’t forgotten about you! A member of our staff will be reaching out to make sure you’re able to get your dental treatment.
From seeing fewer patients per day so that we have more cleaning time between appointments, to adding new equipment and procedures, we’re doing everything we can to protect both patients and staff from COVID-19. Here are 12 additional measures that we’ve added to our already stringent hygiene protocols to ensure an infection-free environment.
1-2 days before their appointment, every patient is asked a set of COVID-19 pre-screening questions over the phone. On the day of their appointment, they’re advised to come right on time, as we don’t want them to arrive early and occupy the waiting area. Before they walk into the clinic, they’re asked to complete a quick health questionnaire and consent form and are required to get their temperature checked by our receptionist with a no-touch thermometer.
Once the patient enters the clinic, they’re asked to either use the hand sanitizer placed in the front office area or are given hand sanitizer when they enter the treatment area.
As much as we appreciate the warm gesture of a handshake or hug, we’re practicing the art of greetings and goodbyes without any physical contact.
Each day before our staff get ready to start their work, they’re screened to ensure they don’t have a fever or any signs of infection.
In the past, it wasn’t mandatory for our staff to change into a set of work clothes upon arrival at the clinic. But now, all our staff is required to come dressed in regular clothes and change into work clothes as soon as they come in. Likewise, before leaving work, they’re required to change back into their regular clothes.
Our doctors and hygienists are sporting new gowns, masks, caps, and face shields as they are required to wear PPE at all times in the clinic. One of the shields is attached to what looks like a baseball cap. We’re sure that if you see one of us wearing that one, it’ll make you smile. Visit our Facebook page to see images of our doctors and staff wearing their new PPE.
Before we start a treatment, we’re now providing a Chlorhexidine solution to our patients to rinse in their mouth for 60 seconds to reduce bacteria.
As part of our strategy to minimize cross-contamination, we’re asking anyone who visits our clinic wearing their own pair of gloves to dispose of their gloves outside of the clinic and then use a hand sanitizer that we provide.
We are seeing fewer patients on a daily basis now as we’re allocating extra time between appointments. This is to allow our staff to follow stricter cleaning practices after every appointment to ensure a safer environment for the next patient.
We already have high-velocity air evacuation (HVAC) and an advanced air filtration system installed at our clinic. By using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and preprocedural antimicrobial mouthrinses, we are further reducing the risk of dental aerosol. Beyond that, we’ve also changed a few instruments and modified some of our treatment methods to further reduce the risk of dental aerosols. For example, our hygienists are now using a new Waterpik as part of their teeth cleaning toolset that has proven to reduce aerosol creation.
We have always followed a strict protocol of wiping, sanitizing, and disinfecting all instruments, equipment and surfaces after every appointment. Now, we are doing this even more rigorously. For example, in the past we used to apply one cleaning solution to the chair after every appointment. Now, we are applying 2 different cleaning solutions one after another.
In the past, deep cleaning was performed every day at the end of the day. Now, we are deep cleaning the entire clinic twice each day.
For dentists, bacteria and viruses are nothing new. Over the past 50+ years, the dental industry has learned to manage and control in-office transmission of many viruses, bacteria and outbreaks of illnesses. We’re confident that these same safety practices, along with our 12 additional measures, will effectively protect you and our staff.
Since we’re seeing fewer patients per day, there may be a slightly longer waiting period for available appointments until Phase 3 is complete. Still, we know that your oral health is paramount, and we’re working hard to make sure you receive the dental care you need.
New appointments are available for our existing patients, as well as for new patients. We’re also following up and contacting anyone who missed their appointment during the quarantine period, as well as those who have an appointment booked for the weeks ahead.
8 AM – 5 PM
7 AM – 5 PM
9 AM – 8 PM
7 AM – 7 PM
8 AM – 5 PM
8 AM – 4 PM
Closed
Your trip starts with an appointment. Book an appointment today and let us know you’re coming from the United States. We’ll do our best to make it a worthwhile trip for you.
Metropolis at Metrotown
4800 Kingsway #359, Burnaby
BC V5H 4J2, Canada
MON: 8 AM – 5 PM
TUE: 7 AM – 5 PM
WED: 9 AM – 8 PM
THUR: 7 AM – 7 PM
FRI: 8 AM – 5 PM
SAT: 8 AM – 4 PM
*Closed statutory holidays
Subscribe to our email to get updates from the clinic and the latest content we publish
Internet Marketing by ElementIQ
