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Upon arriving at High Peaks Dental you will always be greeted by a smile or two! Our admin staff is well trained in insurance as well as finding payment options that will suit your needs.

Top 5 most frequently asked questions regarding dental care and the Covid 19 virus

1. Is it safe for me to go to the dentist during this epidemic and in the future?

At High Peaks Dental we have always practiced what are known as “Universal Precautions”, which means that we treat ALL patients as if they have an unknown contagious disease. We also behave as if any one of our team members could possibly have an unknown infectious disease. Often times people are infected and they display mild to absolutely zero symptoms. Sometimes they have no idea that they are sick in any way. As it turns out, this is also the case with this novel Corona virus that we are dealing with.  It has been reported that in a village in Germany over 80% of the population tested positive for the virus, most without symptoms. Santa Clara County in California tested tens of thousands of their citizens for Covid 19 and discovered that the incidence of infection is 50-80 times greater than official reports because most people show no symptoms. It is estimated that 15% of all New Yorkers have been infected and 20% of those in the New York Metro area have had the disease. That would be a staggering 4 million people infected in the New York City area alone, much more than that which has been reported, which is why we utilize the prudent process of behaving as if anyone of us were potentially infectious.

Consequently, on every patient we use Personal Protective Equipment for our team and use disposable or sterilized items for anything that comes into contact with skin or mucous membranes. Things that can not be disposed of or sterilized are either covered with a disposable barrier, that we change after each patient, or treated with an extremely high-level disinfectant. 

Although we have been mandated by New York State to suspend all routine procedures, we continue to see emergency patients in a safe environment. Presently we screen all individuals for fevers and are admitting limited numbers of individuals into the building and are practicing social distancing in our waiting room.

2. What if a patient who had the virus or another contagious disease was in the office soon before me? Am I still safe?

We are presently screening all patients for fevers before they enter the facility and do not admit people with elevated temperatures, coughs or runny noses. As we have always done, we dispose of, sterilize, or disinfect all objects that may have been exposed to aerosols, droplets or any other potentially infectious substances. Consequently, you are completely safe in our environment.

3. Am I safe if there is another potentially infectious patient in the office while I’m there?

Once again, people who have a fever are not admitted into the office and we are presently limiting the number of people in our waiting room to as few as possible. We have arranged our reception area so that social distancing can be easily accomplished. 

4. What if one of the High Peaks Dental Team members has an infectious disease? Am I still safe then?

Universal precautions once again come into play. We have always performed in a manner in which we assume that anyone in the office, including our team members, could have an infectious disease and are displaying no symptoms. Team members are advised to stay at home if they have a cough or runny nose and we also screen them for fevers before entering the facility. We all wash our hands with a disinfecting soap or alcohol before and after treating each patient and use disposable gloves and high-level masks to prevent any cross-contamination. On every procedure, we employ highest standard of clean/sterile techniques so that there is no opportunity for any communication of infectious diseases.

5. What are the best ways for me to protect myself from Covid 19 and other infectious diseases?

Enhancing your overall health is your best bet for protecting yourself against Covid 19 and for that matter any infectious disease. Almost every one of the patients who have succumbed to the present pandemic have been obese, diabetic or prediabetic, have been elderly and have possessed other underlying health conditions that contributed to their bad outcome. Wear of the masks and social distancing may contribute to your survival in the short term, but your best bet in the long run is to do the day-to-day things that often get lost in the hustle and bustle of a busy life. Your mouth is the portal for almost anything that you take into your body, so ensuring that you have optimal oral health is incredibly important. Make sure that you’re in touch regularly with your dentist.  The things that you put into your mouth and the frequency with which you do it are also critical, so eat a healthy diet that is low in sugar, especially high fructose, and minimize the intake of other carbohydrates such as breads, white potatoes and white rice. Also make sure that you get daily exercise, even if it’s just briskly walking and also be certain that you get some sunshine whenever you can. The present virus is very susceptible to sunlight and elevated temperatures which hopefully will cease to be a problem here in the North Country as we work our way to summer. Indeed, this virus, as well as many other pathogens, is extremely sensitive to soaps and detergents, so frequent hand washing is also a good idea. Getting enough uninterrupted sleep every day is essential to your health and well-being ---at least seven hours for most people. Finally, and certainly not the least important, is to have a positive, fearless and joyful attitude and stay connected to your friends and loved ones in whatever way that you can.

We here at High Peaks Dental are here to serve, please let us know if there is anything that we can do to help you in any way