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Dental offices were among the “victims” of the coronavirus. At the beginning of the pandemic, most of them temporarily ceased to function. Patients, especially those who were struggling with pain, had a hard time finding an open surgery. Fortunately for us, we are slowly returning to normal. We talk with the dentist Romana Markiewicz-Piotrowska about what this “new normality” looks like and what the patient may feel at the dentist’s office.
- “The problem was the availability of protective equipment, which until now was the standard equipment of the dentist, i.e. gloves, helmets and surgical masks”
- Patients deserved an explanation, they could not be left unattended. Some dentists’ offices have successfully implemented teleporting
- “I am convinced that dentists, like their patients, would like to return to work under normal conditions as soon as possible”
Magda Więcna, Medonet: How did the pandemic affect the operation of dental offices? It was a difficult period, most of the offices suspended their activities. What resulted from such decisions?
Roman Markiewicz-Piotrowska dentist from the Dental Clinic of Piotrowscy and Bejnarowicz: The onset of the pandemic was very difficult for dentists and their patients. In the dentist’s office, the doctor-patient contact is very close, we are close to the patient’s respiratory tract, and as you know, the virus spreads by droplets. Most dental procedures are carried out with the use of a water spray that floats in the air after the procedure is completed, so the offices waited for guidelines on what standards and procedures to follow in order to work safely.
The availability of protective equipment, which until now was the standard equipment of the dentist, has also become a problem, i.e. gloves, helmets and surgical masks. For these reasons, many doctors had to resign from work for a few weeks in order not to harm their patients. Securing the doctor in gloves and masks is the patient’s safety, which always comes first.
How did patients react to the message that scheduled visits are being canceled or postponed? Many people wrote to our editorial office who were confused by the whole situation, because it suddenly turned out that most of the offices in their region do not accept patients.
In our practice, we were closed for two weeks to have time to prepare the office to new standards, as well as to purchase the appropriate quantity and quality of masks, gloves and aprons. Patients who were calmly explained the situation and assured on call, approached the matter very calmly and with full understanding of the situation. There were no problems with postponing visits.
It is important in the current situation to show empathy for our patients who deserve to be explained and why the office will be closed for a while. Patients really appreciate being honest, after all, in the current situation, we are all human and we need to support each other. Pain patients also cannot be left unattended. We provided them with the possibility of teleporting and issuing e-prescriptions.
What does returning to the office look like during a pandemic? What precautions must the dentist follow? Is he not afraid of contagion? How does he have to organize his work now?
Dental offices, due to the close contact with the patient, have always had very high standards of cleanliness and disinfection, which is why at the moment the main problem is access to protective measures, such as masks or gloves, which were not available from our suppliers. Some dentists donated some of their gloves or face masks to doctors working in infectious diseases hospitals because they were more in need. Currently, we are definitely paying more attention to indoor air filtration, avoiding more people in the waiting room and longer breaks between treatments. We strive to meet the highest safety standards.
What will change for the patient now? How is he to find himself in this new reality and what will the visits be like?
It is difficult to answer this question because the situation is changing very dynamically. The huge increase in the prices of protective agents, disinfectants, and the economic situation may lead to an increase in the prices of dental services and even longer queues, resulting from longer intervals between patients. Certainly, every dentist cares that the patient in the office is safe and can focus on his smile, so the most important thing is an honest conversation and the patient-doctor relationship.
In our practice, honesty comes first, so we do not observe tensions, patients wait for their planned visits, and for people with pain, we try to organize help on an ongoing basis. I am convinced that dentists, like their patients, would like to return to work as soon as possible under normal conditions, but how soon will it be possible? Time will tell. Now we all need to be calm, empathetic, and patient.
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