Is It Safe to Have Surgery?

The presence of a pandemic certainly makes decisions about whether to have surgery or not very scary. COVID-19 is not the first infectious disease to affect our world. In the past we have experienced the effects of influenza, the H1N1 virus, HIV and SARS. The medical profession has always kept patient safety at the fore front of their mind. Dentists and Doctors are trained to maintain safe and effective infection control measures for all patients and they have been doing so for many decades already. The unexpected introduction of yet a new virus COIVD-19 reminds us how important our current practices really are.

All surgical centers and offices are required to provide the most current and effective infection control measures to protect patients and staff from disease transmission. These measures are mandated by both State and Federal governing bodies. Some of these measures include; personalized protect equipment, proper sterilization techniques for instruments and rooms, air purification systems in surgical suites and UV sterilization systems for counter tops and HVAC units. The use of disposable instruments when possible is encouraged. Due to already stringent infection control guidelines, coupled with new measures to reduce patient to patient contact and social distancing has made these offices one of the safest places to be. The following link finds dental offices among the safest and most essential businesses amid COIVD -19 pandemic.

I would encourage all patients to inquire about what effective infection control measures your office provides. Remember that delaying or cancelling necessary surgery or treatment can lead to longterm negative outcomes or complications.