Going for one's six month dental check-up and cleaning isn't the same as it was pre covid-19. When one arrives you cannot just walk in. The entry door is locked. Access is controlled.
Patients must call first. A staffer comes to open the door but before the patient gains complete entry to the office, questions must be answered and the patient's temperature taken. If the patient runs the gauntlet successfully, they are allowed entry into the waiting room where they wait, alone.
When the dental hygienist arrives the patient may have a difficult time recognizing what should be a familiar face. The put-the-patient-at-ease smile is hidden behind a dense, tight-fitting mask. Hygienists always wore masks but in the old days the mask didn't appear until the dental work was underway.
Other gear obscures the hygienist's face as well: special glasses and a large, clear face shield. And the patient has the option of wearing some pretty big, tight-fitting protective glasses as well. Clearly, this is a high risk activity.
Talking has always been difficult when one is in the dental chair. But now there is an air purifier roaring in the corner and the hum of a new whole-building ventilation system adds a constant background hum.
And the cost? It's up somewhat as someone has to pay for all the changes. (It should be noted that some of the changes are very good and will remain after covid-19 is beaten. Dental offices are high risk areas when it comes to bacterial contamination. Banishing the swirly-water sink may have been an action long overdue.)
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