Your Health is Our Priority
Our team at State Street Smiles wants to first wish you and your family well and hope you are all in good health. This year has been quite unpredictable and while many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your health and safety.
We have always followed strict infection control standards and in order to keep us all protected as we adjust to the ānew normal.ā we have updated our protocols.
Our New Protocol
When we see you at your next appointment, things will be a little different. As your safe dentists in Hackensack, hereās what you can expect:
- Curbside check-in will be available. Patients will wait in their car until theyāre called.
- We will take your temperature and pulse before entering (pulse ox) & check for COVID symptoms
- Everyone in the office will be wearing masks and gloves
- Hand sanitizer is conveniently available
How Weāre Stopping the Spread
Weāve also recently updated our office with new technologies and systems designed to clean our office, stop the spread of COVID-19, and keep everyone safe. These include:
Surgically Clean Air
Weāve incorporated Surgically Clean Air (SCA) into our office to help keep it safe and clean throughout your visit. The purifying system filters out bio-aerosols, bacteria, viruses, odors, gasses, disinfectants, particulates, molds, fungus, and allergens.
Unlike other air purifiers, the SCA system uses a 6-stage filtration process with a HEPA filter that exceeds the standards & guidelines for general surgery applications. It also features UV lights that work to directly deactivate airborne pathogens and microorganisms. This means a healthy, stress-free, risk-free breathing environment for everyone!
Solea Laser
At State Street Smiles, weāre dedicated to protecting our patients and staff with the Solea all-tissue dental laser. This new equipment significantly reduces the risk of transmitting viruses and bacteria.
By eliminating the need of using a drill, the amount of splatter and aerosols are reduced during your dental procedure. You and our team members will remain safe throughout your visit.
Hypochlorous Acid Sanitizing Machine
Also known as a ācold fogging machine,ā we use this system to sanitize all of our treatment rooms. It can also be used for our patients if they feel the need to completely disinfect themselves after their appointment.
FAQs about the Cold Fogging Machine with Hypochlorous Acid:
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), also known as electrolyzed water, is considered by the FDA to be āthe form of free available chlorine that has the highest bactericidal activity against a broad range of microorganismsā (US FDA, 2015). HOCl has no toxic material disposal requirements and, according to the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, is not considered to be hazardous waste, adding yet another advantageous element to HOCl use1.
The additional protein denaturing activity of HOCl and, in particular, its inactivation of prion proteins, also suggests new opportunities for the design and execution of disease control measures in health care institutions2.
The reason hypochlorous acid is such an effective oxidant is that it carries no electrical charge. In contrast, the hypochlorite ion (bleach) carries a negative charge. Because germ surfaces also carry a negative charge, they initially repel each other. It takes up to half an hour for bleach to do the job, whereas hypochlorous acidās lack of electrical charge allows it to penetrate the protective lipid barrier surrounding the viral particles quickly and to destroy the proteins in a matter of seconds.
Yes, hypochlorous acid, unlike chlorine bleach, is 100% safe, non-irritating, and non-corrosive. Various concentrations of hypochlorous acid are used in the food industry, for eye and wound care and as a surface disinfectant.
So, if it gets on your skin or in your eyes, it will not burn. Even if it were accidentally ingested, it is non-toxic. However, there are currently no studies that discuss inhalation safety, so if you do decide to use it, wearing a mask during application is advised.
After we use the hypochlorous acid sanitizing machine, you may notice a light scent afterward, but wonāt smell like chemicals. Itās completely normal to notice a particular scent from the machine, but itās similar to smelling a hand sanitizer.
