NOVI, Mich. (WXYZ) — Doctors, dentists and vets will soon open their doors to non-essential procedures on May 29th.
A dentist in Novi about has new policies in place that is meant to keep staff and patients safe, but will limit how many folks he sees everyday.
The staff at Smile Innovations on 14 Mile near Haggerty Road in Novi are getting ready to see patients.
“We are all excited to open.”
Dr. Zafar Tariq tells us there are several new policies to protect against COVID-19. That’s because the virus spreads through infected droplets that can come from someone’s mouth and nose, where dentists do their work.
“When it comes to that scale of high risk, hygienist and dentists are at the very top.”
Dr. Tariq has been using telemedicine to treat patients with emergency issues and looks forward to giving his patients the proper care they need.
“I just want to get things back to normal and stop doing ‘bandaid’ treatment in terms of what we were allowed to do.”
When they open, things will look different. Patients have to wait in their car until their appointment. They have to wear masks at all time, except when getting treated. The office will provide masks gloves and hand sanitizer for patients. Only two patients in the office at a time.
Dr. Tariq is asking his elderly and higher risk patients to stay home a little longer.
Staff must wear protective gear, which takes time away from how many patients they can see each day.
“What’s called donning the PPE and then doffing the PPE, taking it off, because you have to properly dispose of your dirty mask, gloves, face shields, and gown before you can see that next patient.”
Employees have to clean even more than before.
“Document what room they sanitized, when they sanitized it and what surfaces they disinfected.”
The office will be asking each patient to first rinse with hydrogen peroxide because the American Dental Association says it can destroy the virus.
To learn more about Dr. Zafar Tariq at Smile Innovations, go to: https://www.smilenovi.com/
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