Dentists in Federal Way have seen an uptick in dental needs and emergencies over the past several months. Why? Because like dentists nationwide, our dental office (Federal Way) was also part of a worldwide shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unless you required medically necessary emergency dental care, family dental offices throughout the state and nation were all shut down.
One of the reasons offices closed was because the PPE (personal protective equipment) that dentists use is the same as that of other medical providers. Due to a nationwide shortage and the unknown risk of spread of coronavirus, Federal Way dentists temporarily stopped seeing patients.
Fortunately, that’s no longer the case.
Highest Level of Infection Control
At Cristel Family Dentistry, we’ve always taken infection control seriously. From utilizing hospital grade products and equipment to the most stringent OSHA training, our infection control protocols protect both patients and our staff members. In a time of unknowns, you can rest assured that we’re performing stringent decontamination procedures throughout the office as well as before and after each guest arrives.
Part of the standard of “universal precautions” is that — as always — every patient is treated as if they could potentially be infectious. This consistent practice is one that ensures the highest standard of protection is maintained all day, every day. And by incorporating PPE, hospital-grade sterilization, and the highest level of decontaminants between guests, you can be assured that our Federal Way dentist’s office is one of the cleanest places you’ll ever visit!
Special Precautions to Keep Patients Safe
We’ve made changes to our typical daily routine to better facilitate social distancing and reduced interactions between other patients. Not only do we screen each guest and record their temperature at arrival, but we also adjust the schedule to allow for no to minimal interaction between patients arriving for their care. Dr. Cristel and our team strive to always run on time, minimizing any waiting in the reception area with others.
Before your appointment, we’ll ask you a series of pre-screening questions just to ensure you don’t fall into one of the “at risk” categories. If you’ve traveled out of the country recently or had any type of symptoms, even a low grade fever, we’ll ask that you go ahead and reschedule your appointment as a precaution.
The Risk of Delayed Dental Care
The dentist’s office is one of the safest places you can be when it comes to infection control. Unfortunately, delaying your dental care can result in some serious, painful, and expensive side-effects.
Since most dental problems are preventable, it’s important for Dr. Cristel to intercept them early. Minor demineralization and gingivitis can be reversed before they ever evolve into cavities or gum disease.
But let’s say you have a small cavity or an older, leaky filling that needs to be updated. You might not be in pain at all, so you’re just waiting for the symptoms to pop up before finally going back to the dentist’s office. Unfortunately, dental health is one of those scenarios where pain is a very poor way to manage the severity of the condition. A small cavity can quickly evolve into a deep area of decay, followed by an abscessed nerve (requiring a root canal and crown) and never hurt. Or if you suddenly bite down just the right way on an old filling, the entire tooth could crack in half, requiring extensive care or for the tooth to be extracted altogether.
It’s not that we’re trying to scare you. It’s that we want our patients to understand that to ensure the least invasive care, it’s important to address their oral health needs earlier.
Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, many Federal Way families have had to delay their dental treatment. In turn, existing conditions have evolved into more serious issues to treat. We highly encourage you to get ahead of such problems before they start by scheduling a preventative care appointment.
Family Dentist Near You
Are you looking for a new Federal Way dentist? Do you need to catch up on the dental care you already know that you need? Reserve an appointment at Cristel Family Dentistry today!
