We would like to inform you that the new measures announced by Prime Minister François Legault on January 6 do not apply to oral care and treatments. Our practices are open and we continue to apply strict aseptic protocols and measures to ensure the safety of all.
Also note that dental appointments are permitted during curfew hours as mentioned in the "Curfew" section of the Quebec government's website. A receipt proving your presence at the clinic may be given to you as proof if necessary.
We take this opportunity to remind you of the steps taken and the protocols to follow for a safe clinical experience for all.
Adopted measures and protocols to follow
In the current pandemic environment, we have had to modify our treatment facilities and procedures to make our workplace and services safe for patients and our team.
We ask you to pay close attention to the following in order to familiarize yourself with the current reality in dental clinics:
- ALL appointments will have to be made by phone.
- You will have to complete a COVID-19 screening form when making or confirming your appointment (if it was scheduled beyond 24-48 hours in advance) AND AND upon arrival.
- If you develop symptoms between the time you make your appointment and the appointment itself, you will need to stay home and contact us to let us know.
- We recommend that you allow more time for your appointment, as in the event that additional treatment needs to be done, it would be best to have it done the same day to avoid travelling to the clinic again.
- You must come to the practice alone (with exceptions: children and minors or persons requiring an accompanying person who are entitled to a single attendant).
- We ask you to wear a procedure or handmade mask when you arrive at the clinic; due to equipment quotas, the clinic cannot provide procedure masks.
- We also ask you to go to the toilet before leaving your house to avoid going to the bathroom clinic.
- ALL patients will need to disinfect their hands when they arrive.
- We ask you to be on time at your appointment, or a little in advance, and contact us as soon as you arrive in the parking lot. A staff member will take your temperature with a contactless thermometer and ask you to complete the screening questionnaire.
- You must leave all non-essential personal belongings at home or in the car to bring only the bare minimum to the clinic.
- A special hygiene protocol will be applied at the entrance of the clinic (hand washing, depositing personal belongings in a bin, direct access to the treatment room, mouth rinsing for 60 seconds, etc).
- The treating staff will be dressed in the following personal protective equipment (PPE) depending on the intervention's risk of aerosol production: gown, cap, visor, mask, protective eyewear and gloves.
- A HEPA filtration system, similar to that used in hospitals to create negative pressure, will be used to capture aerosols at the source to significantly reduce their presence in the air.
- In addition to the required surface disinfection that continues, a sprayer projecting a natural disinfectant solution 100 times more powerful than bleach will be used to disinfect all treatment room surfaces between patients and all surfaces in common areas.
- We strongly recommend contactless payment methods such as direct payment (debit card) or credit card payment.
- You must pay the treatment fees the day of your appointment. We will take care of claiming these costs from your insurance company so that you can be reimbursed as soon as possible.
People at higher risk (70 and over)
In order to protect the health of people aged 70 and over, the Quebec government is asking them to stay at home, except to go out for a walk, get food and medicine, and attend a medical appointment (including a dental appointment). The government says protecting the health of seniors also means letting them maintain their usual health care follow-ups.
Since oral health is an integral part of overall health, we recommend that people aged 70 and over, and any other patient for that matter, maintain planned dental treatments. Untreated minor oral problems can lead to much larger problems that will require more complex and expensive treatments and may have adverse effects on overall health.
Please be aware that we have all the necessary measures in place to ensure the safety of those at higher risk. No outbreaks have been reported in dental practices to date, reflecting the effectiveness of the measures applied.
We are thankful for your great patience and trust in these difficult times. We are aware that some of the new measures applied may appear to be binding, but we still ask that you respect them during your clinic visit. The safety of all is at stake.
Thank you for your understanding and collaboration.
Looking forward to making you smile,
The Dentistes REMA team