Interview with Dr. Iñaki Cercadillo: "Above all we want to protect ourselves and the patient"

What safety measures has AHOA taken to protect itself from COVID-19?

In the first place, we have reviewed a lot of proven scientific information, as well as the prevention manuals of our Professional Association. From here, we have adapted the protocols that we already had for asepsis and disinfection to the prevention of the new disease, in a coherent and critical manner. Among others, the measures distancing and individual protection that we all know. On the other hand, we will incorporate the air disinfection of the work boxes with Ultraviolet radiation (UVC). We have also thoroughly reviewed the cleaning and disinfection protocols, times and products, as well as disposable materials to apply as protection barriers. Above all we want protect ourselves and protect the patient, at the same time that we try to experience a certain atmosphere of normality and, above all, of safety and professionalism in the face of this new situation. In fact, what we have been doing up to now was enough, we just need to improve some aspects, and make them sustainable over time, so that in six months we can continue applying them.

How will my visit to the dentist change from now on?

In reality, for the patient there should not be a big difference. Obviously you must collaborate in following the recommendations from the entrance to the exit: Hand disinfection, putting on the mask, etc. It's something you'll be used to by now, because it will be the norm in any establishment. What you will see is more protected staff. Although, for example, the facial protection screens that we now see, we used them years ago for some procedures, such as mouth cleaning, since they generated many splashes and aerosols. Perhaps the waiting room will be a little more boring and cold, since there will be no magazines or much company, but in general you will not feel great changes. In fact, we want to work to keep the experience as pleasant as possible.

How do I know that AHOA staff are not infected?

This is not easy to know at all times and in real time. Let us be aware that, if we have not created antibodies, that is, we have not been immunized, we should do the virus detection test by PCR every 14 days. This is something unfeasible. As health professionals, what we want to know when starting our activity is whether we are immunized or not. This is something that the whole team will have checked. Obviously, if there are any symptoms, it will be mandatory to do the PCR test to find out if it is COVID-19. We also want to know if the incidence of infections has really been high or not. Despite this, health security measures will always be universal and maximum with all patients and with all health personnel, because as we already know, de-escalation is a delicate moment and there is a greater risk of contagion. This implies that we may be more at risk outside the clinic than inside, when we increase the number of social contacts.

Will AHOA make the treatments more expensive due to the acquisition of the protection material and the security measures that you have had to adopt?

The decision of the Clinic's management has been not increase the costs of treatments or apply a charge for protective material used, as recommended by some dental clinic franchise consultants. This is not the time, there will be significant economic damage to the majority of the population, and we have to facilitate access to our services, not make it difficult. Another issue is that we will have to be more efficient in our management to allow the viability of our clinics in the medium term, but this is our job.

Due to security measures that will need to be taken when AHOA opens its doors again, will visits last longer than usual?

Perhaps at first the patient may perceive that everything is going a little slower, in reception or waiting room, but in itself the treatment time will be the same. What will force us to invest more time will be in cleaning the spaces after the treatments, something that the patient should not notice if we do a good job of programming.

Why was the closure of dental clinics decreed when the quarantine was established?

There is some confusion in this regard. As health centers, the closure was not officially decreed, its activity was restricted exclusively to emergency visits. What this allowed was to be able to provide care to patients who had specific needs, and on the other hand avoid saturating hospital emergency services.

Is there any oral measure that we can take at home to prevent the virus?

In addition to all the measures that we have talked about, such as ventilation of spaces with outside air and cleaning and disinfection of hands, there is a step in our clinic protocol that we do prior to treatment that can be helpful. Its about hydrogen peroxide mouthwash (hydrogen peroxide) at a concentration of 1%. The commercial form is sold at 3%, so it must be diluted, 2 units of water per one of peroxide. This is a common disinfectant, and has been studied to reduce the viral load in the oral cavity by 90%. In addition, if they gargle, we can even disinfect the nasopharyngeal area. This measure is not really indicated by any clinical study to prevent the disease, but to reduce the viral load in saliva and reduce infectivity. This is important, since it has recently been identified in viral count studies that the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is greater in saliva than in the oropharyngeal mucosal area. This finding has made it possible to create a rapid test with a simple saliva analysis.

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Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 620, attic 1º
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