A Gentle Dental Center Welcomes you Back!

MAY 11, 2020

Dear Valued Patient,

A Gentle Dental Center’s Doctors and Staff have been thinking about you and your family. We hope this letter finds you in good health. As we look forward to resuming dental services we recognize the world has forever been altered. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to safety.
Infection control has ALWAYS been a top priority for our dental practice. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable. We would like to share with you some of the infection control procedures we follow in our practice to keep patients and staff safe.

Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued. We do this to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to each agencies’ recommendations.

We want you to know that we have ALWAYS:

  • Followed strict sterilization and disinfection guidelines for every patient encounter while simultaneously adhering to environmental protection measures.
  • Been professionally trained by outside experts to handle infection and pathogen control protocol.
  • Purchased and worn the best personal protective equipment including high level filtered surgical masks, gloves, eye protection, and scrubs.
  • Minimized aerosols via trained professional using high volume suction evacuation techniques.
  • Requested all patients and staff to cover their mouth and nose when sneezing, wash hands thoroughly and/or apply appropriate medical grade hand sanitizer.

We will continue the stringent infection/pathogen control protocols previously in place AND implemented additional pathogen/virus protection measures.

We want you to know that we:

  • Ensure staff members reporting to work are healthy by instructing them to stay home and recover if symptoms arise or if in close contact with someone positive with COVID 19.
  • Actively pre-screen patients prior to arrival and insist people stay home if symptoms of illness are present or are active with COVID 19.
  • Staggered dental procedure times to accommodate social distancing and appointment efficiency.
  • Re-arranged the lobby, waiting room space and exiting the office.
  • Request patients disinfect their hands upon arrival, bring a mask and practice safe hygiene methods.
  • Practice universal infection control measures in the waiting room, check-in stations and bathrooms.
  • We request patients utilize pre-treatment oral rinses prior to aerosol generating procedures.
  • Installed ambient air disinfection devices.
  • Installed medical devices such as the ISODRY suction system to significantly reduce aerosol release.
  • Dedicated clinic times for high-risk patients to receive care during off peak hours.

Please note: Due to the high demand for PPE there will be a co-pay for Infection/Pathogen Control during this unprecedented time.

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep every patient and staff member safe while in our office. To make an appointment please call our Rogers Office at Rogers Office Phone Number 763-428-2226, our A Gentle Dental Center at or visit our website at www.agentledentalcenter.com for a contact form.

Thank you for being our patient! We value your trust and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors and friends.

Sincerely,

Jill Pucel Koopman D.D.S. & A Gentle Dental Center Doctors and Staff

Infection Control

Infection controls and universal precautions protect clients and staff alike. Everyone benefits from rigorous infection control — you, your dentist, and the dental team. The cornerstone in a good and safe dental practice is the element of trust. You should feel free to discuss this topic with Dr. Koopman, Dr. Zacharias, Dr. Ostroot or Dr. Casey and receive a straightforward answer.

Drs. Koopman, Zacharias, Ostroot and Casey, and our entire team follow procedures recommended by several federal agencies: the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These measures include:

  • Disinfectant hand soap
  • Gloves and face masks
  • Chemical disinfection of countertops and surfaces
  • Sterilization of all equipment before every use
  • Disposable materials

We sterilize all reusable equipment, including dental hand pieces. We use an autoclave, a device that kills bacteria and viruses by steam, heat and pressure.

The best defense against disease is information. The more you know, the better equipped you are to make wise decisions about your health care. The more you know about our daily procedures and policies, the more comfortable you will feel.