To Our Amazing Patients and Community,

We wanted to give you an update below on the status of the practice during the current COVID-19 situation and share helpful tips that will keep you and your family safe during this time.

Due to the progression of the ongoing pandemic and the recent Federal/ State, CDC, and ADA regulations we are closely following, Governor Pritzker has mandated closure to routine dental care and suggests office limit dental services to urgent care until further notice. We will postpone all dental appointments until further notice. Patients with appointments during the month of May have been cancelled and you will be notified by our team accordingly. 

Here are 3 helpful tips on how to keep you and your family safe by properly:

1. Wearing a mask
2. Wearing gloves
3. Washing your hands

Wearing the Mask Properly?

When you have symptoms of cold, flu, COVID-19, or other viruses and infections, properly wearing a surgical face mask can help protect others from getting sick.

Click Here to watch a video: How to correctly wear your coronavirus face mask and gloves

Step by Step: How to Put The Mask On

1. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
2. Once hands are dry, check the mask for any defects such as a tear or missing tie or ear loop. Throw away any that are defective.
3. Make sure the exterior (usually colored or marked) side of the mask is facing out, away from your face.
4. Place the mask on your face with the colored side facing out and the stiff, bendable edge at the top by your nose.
5. If the mask has ear loops, put one loop around each ear.
6. If the mask has ties, pick up the mask by the ties and tie the upper ties behind your head with a bow. Then tie the lower ties behind your head with a bow.
7. Once the mask is in place, use your index finger and thumb to pinch the bendable top edge of the mask around the bridge of your nose.
8. Make sure the mask is completely secure. Make sure it covers your nose and mouth so that the bottom edge is under your chin.
9. Wash your hands.

Removing the Mask

1. Wash your hands before removing the mask.
2. Do not touch the inside or outside of the mask (the part over nose and mouth). It may be contaminated from your breathing, coughing or sneezing.
3. Untie or remove the ear loops and remove the mask by the straps.
4. Throw the mask in the trash. Do not reuse disposable masks.
5. Wash your hands.

Please Note: If you are using a reusable cloth mask, at the end of the day, take the mask off from the straps (not touching the front), place in a pillowcase to keep the ties with the mask. Wash it in the washing machine with hot water and completely dry on medium or high heat.

Using Gloves Properly?

Gloves can protect your hands from infection and contamination. The trick is to remember gloves are only keeping your hands clean. That means, even while wearing gloves, please DO NOT touch your face, eyes, hair, cell phones, etc. Wearing gloves does not give you a free pass to stop washing your hands. After removing gloves, you still need to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.

1. With both hands still gloved, grab or pinch the outside of the glove near one wrist, without touching your bare skin.
2. Peel the glove away from your body, turning it inside out as you remove it.
3. Hold the removed glove with the still-gloved hand.
4. Slip your now-bare hand under the wrist cuff on the gloved hand.
5. Peel the glove away from your body, turning it inside out as you remove it once again. ("You end up with both gloves inside-out, one wrapped inside the other."
6. Dispose of the gloves safely—do not reuse them.
7. Wash your hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds.

Keep in mind wearing glove should not replace any other precautions you have been taking. That includes proper social distancing, self-quarantining, and wearing a mask when necessary, per the CDC.

How to Properly Wash Your Hands 

Follow these six steps every time.

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, under your nails, around your thumbs and wrists.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel
6. Use the same towel used to clean hands to turn off faucet, and dispose towel.

Watch this video for further assistance: How to wash your hands

Small changes can make a BIG difference. We hope these tips are helpful, and you and your family stay safe and healthy!

Sincerely, 

So-Well Dental Associates