SIU Dental Hygiene Clinic

Dental Hygiene Clinic

SIU Dental Hygiene Clinic

Dental Hygiene Clinic Protocol to be implemented immediately

Related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

For healthcare personnel, testing may be considered if there has been exposure to a person with suspected COVID-19 without laboratory confirmation. Because of their often extensive and close contact with vulnerable patients in healthcare settings, even mild signs and symptoms (e.g., sore throat) of COVID-19 should be evaluated among potentially exposed healthcare personnel. Additional information is available in CDC’s Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Public Health Management of Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure in a Healthcare Setting to Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Close contact is defined as—

1. a) being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time; close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case

– or –

1. b) having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on) If such contact occurs while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment or PPE (e.g., gowns, gloves, NIOSH-certified disposable N95 respirator, eye protection), criteria for PUI (Person Under Investigation) consideration are met.

Information regarding scheduling and confirming appointments 

• Protocol for confirming appointments – the day before the appointment the administrative assistant will call to confirm the appointment and will ask the questions listed below.
• When scheduling new patients, the same questions will be asked.
• The Day of the Appointment the same questions will be asked by the clinician prior to having the patient enter the clinic. If the patient responds yes to any one of the questions or if someone accompanying the patient responds yes, then the appointment will be canceled. If the only yes answer is a cough, follow-up questions may be asked regarding the origin of the cough – it allergies, etc.
• Fever higher than 100.0 Degrees
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Flu-like symptoms
• Muscle pain
• Vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain
• Runny Nose
• Red or painful eyes, itching, or scratchy eyes
• Personal international travel to or from anywhere outside of the United States but specifically China, Iran, Italy, Japan or South Korea or contact with someone who has been in these countries in the past 14 days.
• Personal stateside travel (Consult the most current status of states with spikes in cases of COVID-19)

Clinical Procedures to be implemented until further notice

1. Each student, faculty and staff will be required to monitor their own temperature with their own thermometer. For students, this should be kept with your school supplies that you bring to school every day.
   1. Everyone will take their temperature at home before coming to school. If it is 100^oF or more, you should stay at home.
   2. When you are scheduled to be in clinic, you will take your temperature in the clinic when you arrive for each session.
2. The student clinician will greet their own patient in the entry-way to the reception area or outside (weather permitting). The student will be in full PPE and the door from the reception area to the clinic will be propped open.  The student will ask the patient if they have a fever or any other symptoms of the Corona Virus.  If the patent says “YES”, then the patient will be dismissed and the appointment canceled.  If the patient says “NO” the student will then FIRST take the patient’s temperature, then blood pressure and respirations.  If 100^oF or higher the patient will be dismissed and rescheduled at least 14 days out.  The student would recommend that the patient see their physician and be tested. 

If the temperature is less than 100^oF it is okay to proceed with the appointment. 

3. All aerosol-generating procedures are not to be used in the clinic until further notice. We will continue to follow the most current IDPH and CDC Guidelines regarding use of these procedures. This includes use of a handpiece, all ultrasonic units, and air-polisher and, forcefully spraying water in the oral cavity that might generate airborne droplets

FRONT DESK/RECEPTION AREA COVID-19 PROTOCOL

Pre-Appointment Screening Process

1. Explain purpose of call, such as appointment scheduling or reminder.
2. Ask patient screening questions
3. Fever, cough, flu-like symptoms
4. Difficulty Breathing
5. Loss of taste or smell
6. Contact with COVID-19 positive patient
7. Travel to region affected by COVID-19
8. Heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, auto-immune disorder
9. Inform patient that their temperature will be taken and these questions will be asked again when they arrive on the day of appointment.
10. Remind patients that they will be the only one allowed to come into building the day of appointment. If the patient is a minor, the parent may escort them to the door to be escorted into the building by staff or student.
11. Inform patients that they will be required to wear a mask when entering the building.

In-Office Patient Registration

1. Patient should arrive 30 minutes before appointment for pre-screening.
2. Automatic hand sanitizer ready for use.
3. Student or Staff check patient’s temperature (<100.0 F) with touchless thermometer.

Complete Patient Screening Form.

1. If positive response to any of questions, consult with Staff Dentist before proceeding with treatment.
2. Remind patient to report any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 within 14 days of appointment.
3. Provide patient with pen and have them keep it when filling out forms.
4. Scan or import patient information into **Dentrix. NO paper charts or fee sheets are to be shared between front desk and clinic to prevent cross contamination.
5. Provide staff with cleaning supplies to wipe clipboard, signature pads, chairs, and counters that are high touch areas.

Reception Area Preparation

• Hand sanitizer station present at entrance into facility, remind everyone to use it upon entering.
• Signs posted to remind everyone to wear mask.
• Sign posted for proper donning and doffing of mask.
• Signs posted for proper cough etiquette.
• Chairs are placed 6 feet apart, extra chairs removed.
• All toys, magazines, and brochures are removed.

DH will provide or request supplies for reception area:

1. Tissues
2. Hand sanitizer
3. No touch trash can
4. Masks (if patient forgets theirs)

On a regular schedule all chairs, doorknobs, light switches, counters, and anything that people contact will be cleaned with an approved surface cleaner which meets EPA’s use against SARS-COVID.

Front Desk/Work Area Preparation

• Cover keyboard with disposable, clear barrier and change for each new user.
• Cover credit card machine with disposable barrier.
• Paperwork should be scanned or imported into patients chart in Dentrix. No paper should be shared between front desk and clinic to prevent cross contamination.
• Level 2 masks and gloves provided for front desk staff.
• Clear barriers installed on counter to provide protection of office staff and patients.
• Phone headsets for each employee to reduce spread of virus.
• On a regular basis chairs, desks, counters, cabinet handles, door handles, and phones cleaned with an approved SARS-COVID disinfectant.

This protocol was established on March 16, 2020 and revised on June 29, 2020

Procedures for the DH reception desk were added to this document June 29, 2020 

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Stacey McKinney, DH Program Director at:   smckinney8@siu.edu

*This protocol will be updated regularly!

**Dentrix is the patient management software utilized by the DH staff, faculty and students.

To make an appointment with the SIU Dental Hygiene Clinic, call (618)453-8826.

The SIU Dental Hygiene Clinic offers a variety of oral care services to SIU students, faculty, staff and community members. Services include: dental exams, oral prophylaxis (cleaning), periodontal debridement, X-rays, fluoride treatments, pit and fissure sealants and other dental hygiene services.

The Dental Hygiene Clinic services are provided by our dental hygiene students who have satisfactorily completed specific requirements prior to treating clinical patients. Dental Hygiene students are supervised by clinical dental hygiene faculty and dentists. Each patient is examined and diagnosed by a dentist.

MAKING APPOINTMENTS

Your first appointment will include an oral examination in which we will provide a comprehensive head and neck examination. This examination will provide us with valuable information about you and your health. It will also allow us to develop a comprehensive treatment plan specifically designed to address your dental needs. Future appointments will be scheduled to complete your treatment and maintain your overall oral health.

COST 

Our patients are responsible for payment in full at the time of treatment. The clinic accepts cash, checks and debit/credit cards. We do not bill the Bursar or accept insurance.

Disclosure: The fees are greatly reduced due to the services being provided by students and the length of the visits are much longer than private practice.

For questions about methods of payment or to make an appointment with the SIU Dental Hygiene Clinic, call (618)453-8826. 

CLINIC HOURS

Fall semester: Monday & Wednesday 8 a.m.-noon, 1-5 p.m.  Tuesday & Thursday 1-5 p.m.  Closed Friday.

Spring semester: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-noon, 1-5 p.m.

Closed Saturdays, Sundays, and during University breaks and holidays.

LOCATION

The Clinic is located on the SIU campus In the College of Applied Sciences and Arts Building on Douglas Drive, across the street from the SIU Arena.

RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Patients are responsible for providing complete information about their health, including past illnesses, treatments, and use of all drugs and medications.

Patients are responsible for asking questions to be sure that they understand the information or instructions.

Patients have the responsibility of informing the SIU Dental Hygiene Clinic management if they believe their rights have been violated.

PARKING

A patient may purchase a parking tag for a fee of $4.00, this would be good for one day only. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Kimberly James, Dental Clerk I  618-453-8826

Students attending the clinic with a red parking sticker should park in the red parking lot across from the clinic.

Faculty, staff and students with a yellow parking sticker should park in the arena parking lots.

Faculty and staff with a blue sticker should park in the blue parking lot.

All patients who do not have an SIU parking sticker and are NOT faculty, staff or students, should park at the parking meters. The cost to park is 25 cents per ½ hour.