Corona / COVID-19 Virus and Dentistry

Hello!  Dr. Barr here!  We've been hearing a lot about the "Coronavirus" in the news recently.  We've also been hearing a lot of misinformation.  Consequently, we are experiencing a pandemic of panic.  Unnecessary panic. There's a run on toilet paper, for gosh sakes!

How does going to a dental appointment factor into the Coronavirus situation?

I'll keep it brief.

A dental office is probably the safest place I can think of.  Everything is sterilized.  Countertops and other environmental surfaces are doused in disinfectants between every visit.  

Private care offices like Palm Beach Smiles don't have a waiting room full of people.  If you've been here, you've probably never seen my reception area full of waiting patients.  That's been by design since I started my practice.  We see one patient at a time and run our schedule accordingly.  That means no reception area full of people.  Ours is usually empty, because the scheduled patient is in the chair.  😊

But, perhaps the worst place to be would be a traditional medical doctor's office waiting room full of coughing patients!

So, come on in!  The water's fine.  We have always taken every precaution and measure to keep our patients safe.

Wash your hands frequently.  Keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your car for when you touch things like gas pumps, doors, and other surfaces in public places.  Lastly, please don't panic and live your life with a happy heart.