As a dental care provider, maintaining clean and healthy air quality in our dental office is one of our primary responsibilities that has become even more important due to the current coronavirus outbreak. It is impossible to keep a healthy atmosphere in a dental office by merely using high suction instruments and central air conditioning systems. To accomplish this goal, you will also have to control and minimize the use of aerosols and splatter in your dentistry.
Here is some information regarding how you can manage the use of aerosols and improve air quality in dental offices.
Get Scheduled Maintenance Work for Your HVAC System
Having a working air-conditioning and heating system is essential to maintain the clean air quality in your dental office, so be sure to schedule and follow the routine maintenance of the system as per manufacturer recommendations.
Use Only High-Quality Filters
The HVAC system installed in your dental office recirculates the air along with many airborne particles, including viruses and bacteria. So, use high-quality filters in these systems and replace the filters frequently.
Install Commercial-Grade Exhaust Fans
Commercial-grade exhaust fans help create negative pressure in the treatment room, which will replace the room’s current air with new air, thus reducing the amount of aerosol present in the room and improving its air quality.
Add an Air Scrubber as Part of Your HVAC System
Air scrubbers sanitize the air circulation in the room using UV light technology. Some air-scrubber models are capable of eliminating up to 99% of surface microbes and nearly 90% of airborne microorganisms.
Use an Energy Recovery Ventilator System
An ERV system lets in fresh air into the treatment room without disturbing the room’s cooling or heating levels. However, add an air scrubber to detox and clean the air as these systems cannot do so.
Use a Stand-Alone Air Purification System
A stand-alone air purification machine can help remove aerosols from your office air if installed close to patients undergoing aerosol producing procedures. Make sure to check the quality of the filters, airflow capacity, filtration rate, sound level, and durability while selecting a stand-alone air purification system.
Use High-Velocity Evacuation System for Procedures
These systems can potentially reduce almost 95% of aerosol particles in your dental office air. Using them during dental procedures will make the air clean and free of pathogens.
Use N95 Masks
The filtration rate of N95 masks is comparatively higher than surgical and other types of masks as they reduce your exposure to at least 95% of particles in the air, including aerosols.
To maintain the healthy air quality in dental offices, it is also essential to apply high infection control standards to reduce the amounts of harmful allergens and pathogens in the air. This will help improve the air quality and improve the overall well-being of the dentists, team members, and patients.
We at Plaza Dental Group are taking all safety measures to protect our patients and our team. Contact us to schedule an appointment for all your dental care needs with a dentist in Des Moines.
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