EDINA, Minn — With Governor Walz this week ending the ban on elective medical procedures, that means dental offices can start seeing regular patients again.
Since closing March 18 because of the coronavirus, a lot of appointments at Dulac Dental in Edina have been postponed.
"I have a lot of patients looking forward to getting in, yes," said Dr. Jill Dulac.
Dulac said before re-opening next week, she will train her staff on safety and how to screen patients properly.
When patients arrive, they'll see differences too.
"We're staggering appointments. So first of all, they're going to see less people in our waiting room. The look of our office will be a little bit different," Dulac said.
Dulac will re-arrange the waiting room for better social distancing and install a plexiglass barrier.
And staff will be wearing additional protective equipment, but Dulac doesn't think that will look dramatically different.
"Our patients are used to seeing us with masks, goggles, gowns, gloves on. Masks will be different. We'll have face shields on, and our appointments will be longer," Dulac said.
Dental work often puts tiny droplets into the air called aerosols. So Dulac will take more time between patients.
"If we have a procedure that has aerosol. We need to let aerosol settle, clean the room, before we let the next patient into the same space," Dulac said.
As part of the governor's order, providers need to come up with a plan like Dulac has. In a statement, the Minnesota Board of Dentistry said in part:
"Patients need to gradually return to care in the safest environment and that can be achieved, but we are requiring that practices do their part in having a modified plan for engineering controls, administrative controls, and additional PPE considerations."
Dental offices are allowed to open on Monday. Many are trying to schedule patients in phases so they can prioritize those with urgent procedures that were not deemed emergencies.
KARE 11’s coverage of the coronavirus is rooted in Facts, not Fear. Visit kare11.com/coronavirus for comprehensive coverage, find out what you need to know about the Midwest specifically, learn more about the symptoms, and see what companies in Minnesota are hiring. Have a question? Text it to us at 763-797-7215. And get the latest coronavirus updates sent right to your inbox every morning. Subscribe to the KARE 11 Sunrise newsletter here. Help local families in need: www.kare11.com/give11.
The state of Minnesota has set up a hotline for general questions about coronavirus at 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903, available 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
There is also a data portal online at mn.gov/covid19.