Hello Galvez Dental community,

We are taking great precautions during the COVID-19 crisis. It is important for us that our staff and our patients stay healthy and safe during this time. We have been staying updated with CDC and California Dental Association (CDA). "The California Dental Association strongly recommends that dentists practicing in California voluntarily suspend non-urgent or non-emergency dental care for the next 14 days. As always, it is expected that dentists will continue to be available as needed for emergency care and services." - CDA.

With these precautions, Galvez Dental will have to shut down this week (March 17-22) and open up our practice for emergencies the week of March 23-29. We plan to resume regular practice on Monday, March 30. Of course, we continue to monitor COVID-19 and will adapt to what is best for our community, our staff and our loved ones.

We want to share the actions what we have taken thus far:

1. Our staff has been thoroughly briefed on how to handle this condition and is screening any patient who is walking into our office. We have advised all patients, including staff to not come to the office if they have flu like symptoms. This is being done as an effort to ensure the health and safety of the public.
2. Each clinical staff is required, as always, to wash their hands with antibacterial soap and water after each patient and every time they use the restroom. There is ample hand sanitizer in our office as well but there is no substitute for good hand washing.
3. Our common areas are being cleaned on the clock regularly with antibacterial cleaning supplies so that there is no buildup or cross contamination of any kind.
4. As always, we have a zero-tolerance policy on our sterilization and infection control protocols. This means that we do not, in any circumstances tolerate any breach in our sterilization and infection control protocols and any staff that breaches this is terminated immediately. Our patient safety is most important to us and we are not taking any chances.
5. We have advised our staff to stay home if they develop flu like symptoms to minimize the potential that our staff or patients get sick. There may be times that we may be short staffed because of this and you may have a longer wait time at our office than usual. We have decided not to hire any temp staff from the temping agency for last minute coverage so that we are not inviting an unknown individual into our environment.
6. There is an acute shortage of gloves and masks and the Center of Disease control has issued a statement that this may continue for the next 6 months. We can assure all our patients that our practice is not facing this shortage at this time we do ask your patience if ever it may be an issue. We are doing our best to keep fully stocked.
7. Work on keeping your immune system healthy. Eat healthy balanced meals, take your vitamins and remember oral care. Healthy oral care is linked to the immune system, so please continue to brush and floss. Try to eat at home if possible, this will ensure less exposure to public places. Our staff has been advised to do the same.
8. Lastly, it is important to us that all of our patients get any active infection taken care of. This includes treatment for gum disease, cavities, infected teeth that need root canals and wisdom teeth that are starting to hurt. Viruses cannot survive if a person is healthy. Active infection will reduce a person's immunity. In order for you to be protected, please keep up a healthy immunity. It is important to us that even if god forbid you get exposed or get the virus your body is strong enough to fight it. Anything that compromises this will end up being a potential health issue.

We would like to wish all of you a very healthy next few months. We want you to know that if you have any concerns you can always call us. We would be happy to help you in every way that we can.

Lots of Healthy thoughts,

Dr. Bernard and Cristina Galvez