03/17/2020
Our COVID-19 Policy:
Policies and procedures related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
As of 3/16/2020:
1. Nase Dental Group is committed to maintaining a healthy work and therapeutic environment for our employees, patients and doctors.
2. During times of official public social distancing, we need to have a very low threshold for asking patients or employees who show some symptoms of upper respiratory infections to stay away from the office until that individual is medically cleared of coronavirus. We will defer testing to appropriate physicians and health facilities and will not attempt to differentiate between coronavirus, influenza or other upper respiratory infections ourselves.
a. Symptoms that are suspicious include:
i. Persistent coughing, not associated with allergies or environmental irritants
ii. Nasal and respiratory congestion not associated with allergies or environmental irritants
iii. Lymphadenopathy (swollen glands)
iv. Fever
v. Fatigue
vi. Shortness of breath
3. We reserve the right to challenge any employee or patient who we believe may have an upper respiratory infection or may have been exposed to coronavirus. This may result in refusing to allow the employee to work or the patient to be seated.
a. We reserve the right to screen any patient or employee. Failure to permit this will cause the patient or employee to be forced to leave the office until further notice.
4. The following protocol shall be enforced at the front desk before admitting the patient or employee to stay:
a. The person shall be required to sanitize their hands immediately upon arrival. If not available or allergic to hand sanitizer, they will be asked to wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds in the public restrooms in the back hallway and return immediately to the front desk.
b. The person shall be asked to hold their breath for a minimum of 10 seconds. A passing score is no resulting cough or chest pain.
c. The person shall be asked to take their body temperature using an approved device. If the person is unable to operate the device, an employee shall don appropriate PPE and take it for them. Once complete, the device shall be sanitized and placed back to its holder. Body temperature and the presence of fever may be subjective or confirmed.
d. The person shall be asked if they have had any high-risk exposures, including travel to high risk areas within the last 2 weeks. A passing score is no high-risk activities within the last 2 weeks.
e. An employee or patient that fails any one of these screening tests will be asked to leave the office immediately and report to a qualified health care individual or facility for appropriate evaluation.
5. The front door shall remain locked at times when the front desk is unattended by an employee, including during lunch. At all times, patients shall be encouraged to wait in their personal transportation or outside (weather permitting) in the NDG parking lot until their scheduled appointment time or until summoned by us via cell phone or “wave-in”.
6. Nase Dental Group cannot supply masks or personal protection equipment (gloves, gowns, hats, etc.) to patients.