The COVID-19 virus is understandably causing concern in the community and within the Medland Family.
As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread and the situation regarding management and containment evolves, Medland Dental is closely following the advice from Queensland Health, the Department of Health, the World Health Organisation and the Australian Dental Association.
Medland Dental remains committed as always, to providing a safe environment for our patients and staff, so is electing to go beyond the requirements outlined by Queensland Health with both staff and patients.
To help ensure that Medland Dental is providing a safe environment for our patients and staff:
- We will continue to maintain the highest level of infection control procedures. As an Accredited Dental practice, we must meet the strict National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, or for some time now, have chosen to exceed some of these standards particularly regarding infection control.
- We are following all protocols from Queensland Health and the Australian Dental Association and monitoring the advice for any changes daily. We are electing to exceed these protocols and recommendations.
- Our staff have cancelled or postponed all overseas travel.
- We are temperature testing our staff daily for the early signs of fever.
- We kindly ask our patients to also submit to a simple temperature test too when entering our practice.
- We kindly ask you to use our hand sanitiser as you enter the building. You may not have noticed this previously, but please also take advantage of the hand sanitiser located at our reception desks, waiting room and lounges.
- Magazines and newspapers will be temporarily removed, and the iPads disinfected after use.
- We kindly ask you to undertake a short antimicrobial rinse before your procedure
If you have travelled anywhere overseas within the last 14 days OR have had close or casual contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 OR are suffering fever and flu-like symptoms (i.e. sore throat, cough, shortness of breath and/or fatigue), we would encourage you to reschedule your appointment with us and seek medical advice.
There are some simple things that we can all do to help prevent the infection from spreading within the community:
- Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands regularly or using hand sanitiser — we touch our face constantly, with some studies reporting up to 23 times an hour. Regular hand hygiene, will reduce your likelihood of contracting COVID-19 as well as other respiratory illness like colds and flus.
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow as opposed to your hands to prevent transfer of respiratory viruses to other surfaces.
- Heed all advice from the relevant authorities regarding non-essential overseas travel and mass gatherings.
- Avoid close contact with anyone who is showing symptoms of a respiratory illness
- Look after yourself by making sure you’re drinking lots of water, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep and reducing your stress.
Queensland Health is regularly updating its website with information on COVID-19 if you’d like to read more about how you can protect yourself and others.
Medland Dental will continue to monitor news from the World Health Organisation, Department of Health and Queensland Health, amongst other sources, and will keep you informed.
If you have any questions or not sure if you should keep your appointment, please send an email to info@medlanddental.com.au or give us a call on (07) 3426 5777
