General Dentistry During COVID-19: Is It Safe To Visit Your Dentist?
The coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has forced us to adapt to frequent cleaning routines, especially if you work in public spaces. We wear face masks, socially-distance ourselves, and wash our hands often, which is even more common than simple greetings. However, you may also question if you are safe enough going to public spaces, like your dentist, in which general dental care visits are crucial to your overall health.
McLean Family Dentistry not only prioritizes your dental health needs but your safety as well. We’ve updated our policies and procedures to ensure everyone has peace of mind during their visit. We’re excited to welcome new and current patients in McLean and throughout the Northern Virginia area.
Here’s how the dental industry and our practice has adapted to the coronavirus pandemic:
The Evolving Dental Industry
Health constraints have increased across the country and have caused many dental practices to experience commercial effects, including deferred revenue. This is a result of dentists limiting patients to only the most pressing cases. Not only does this lower the chances of infection, but it also reduces their rate of profit.
More dental practices are also investing in additional safety equipment and newer technology, which includes PPE to minimize contact between patients and dental providers. Modern technology investments also go toward managing patients for virtual appointments.
In addition to that, dentists are adding charges to cover those additional safety equipment costs. McLean Family Dentistry has added a $10 fee per patient for PPE unless the patient’s insurance company considers it as an inclusive cost.
Updated Daily Practices & Procedures
As we’ve mentioned in a previous blog, our dental care procedures have been adjusted to align with the current health climate. As the CDC announced that SARS-CoV-2 spreads mainly through person-to-person contact and has a greater impact on older adults, dental practices have adjusted their procedures to increase safety for all.
Some dentists have started mobile dental clinics that are perfect for those who must avoid public spaces. Mobile dentists offer the same HIPAA-compliant equipment and services to ensure these patients receive the same level of care they would get at a brick and mortar dentistry.
Other dentists have eliminated patient visit overlaps to further reduce face-to-face contact with other visitors. All staff routinely undergo daily health screenings to ensure no one who is experiencing symptoms or is asymptomatic will infect other patients.
New Changes at McLean Family Dentistry
We want to make sure you are comfortable during your visit with us and have updated our procedures to help you feel at ease. Many of the changes mentioned above are implemented at McLean Family Dentistry, in which the following continues to help limit exposure of our staff and patients:
- No appointment overlaps. Social distancing is also enforced.
- Patients and employees are screened for COVID-19 symptoms.
- All our staff wears PPE equipment including surgical masks, face shields, and gloves.
- We do not use aerosol-generating procedures which scatter droplets into the air and increase your risk of exposure.
- When equipment is not in use, it will be stored away.
Visit McLean Family Dentistry in Virginia for General Dental Care!
Although we are all faced with incredible challenges this year, we do our best to ensure you have access to the general dental care you need. You and our employees’ health are our priority. If you have any concerns regarding your next visit with us, get in touch with our team in McLean, Virginia today. Schedule your appointment at (703) 448-9100 to get started!
Making Dentistry More Accessible During COVID-19
Dentists around the world were forced to close their practices back in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As months passed, many states have slowly begun to reopen again. In the Northern Virginia area, Forward Virginia, also known as the phased-approach to reopen businesses safely, is taking place. Dental practitioners everywhere are adjusting their current model to accommodate our new normal to make dental care more accessible for all.
In order to continue dental care and keep everyone safe at this time, McLean Family Dentistry is providing additional screening prior to each patient appointment. This is to ensure the health and safety of our team and patients. Our general family dentistry is also eliminating patient appointment overlaps, new office layout that adheres to social distancing guidelines, and increased PPE. Learn more about our current COVID-19 Safety & Preparedness Plan in our latest blog.
Here’s how other dental offices around the world are changing their practices to ensure everyone’s health and safety during COVID-19:
Mobile Dental Offices
Mobile dental offices are fairly straightforward, as dentists can physically bring their dental office and HIPAA compliant equipment directly to their patients to perform necessary procedures.
While most aerosol-generating procedures are limited, mobile dentists are able to provide routine dental care in a more secluded and private setting. As this is a major change for most dentists, it also provides more comfort for patients, as it reduces how many people they will be in contact with during their appointment.
Mobile dentists also offer better flexibility to those who are unable to physically visit the dentist. This may include patients living in assisted living facilities, retirement communities, rehabilitation centers and much more.
Teledentistry
Teledentistries allow dentists to virtually meet with their patients in real-time to access their dental health. This type of appointment omits time spent on commuting, which will help people save more money on their overall commute.
In addition to that, it will also allow patients to spend more time at work or school since much of our time is affected by how long it takes us to get to our appointments.
Choose Our General Dentistry in McLean, VA for Your Next Appointment!
At McLean Family Dentistry, our team is committed to keeping you safe while ensuring you receive the highest quality of dental care possible during this challenging time. Our family-oriented general dentistry is proud to continue serving you and your family’s needs
Just as we adhere to the CDC guidelines on a daily basis, we ask that patients also follow these guidelines as well to help limit the spread of the virus. Nothing is more important to our team than your family’s safety and that you are receiving the dental care you need.
We look forward to your next visit with us! Contact our general dentistry at (703) 991-6224 to schedule your next appointment.
COVID-19 Safety and Preparedness
The Coronavirus pandemic has drastically changed our normalcy in every industry around the world. As a professional general dentistry in the McLean, VA area, we are following the CDC guidelines and the Forward Virginia phased approach to ensure the safety of our staff, dentists, and patients.
At McLean Family Dentistry, we will continue to maintain the health and safety of our team and patients during this time. We want to make sure you have access to the highest level of general dentistry care while remaining safe. To ensure you receive direct care under strict safety guidelines, we are happy to provide you distance appointments and online check-ups.
Here’s an overview of our COVID-19 Safety and Preparedness Plan:
Availability & Patient Management
On top of the primary recommendations for limiting the spread and contraction of the virus, we are limiting exposure of our staff and patients within our dental office. The following policies below adhere to the CDC guidelines and may affect our overall availability but it is the closest we are able to get to our normal operations, as everyone’s safety remains our #1 priority.
- Prior to each patient’s appointment, we will be implementing a screening to ensure they are not exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 and that their dental conditions do require immediate and non-elective treatment. Our employees will receive the same screening to further limit the spread of the virus.
- We have adjusted our office layout to follow proper social distancing procedures. Due to this change, our waiting room chairs are placed six feet apart from each other and we have also removed frequently-touched objects, including toys and magazines.
- To effectively reduce patient-contact between other visiting patients, we will ensure our appointment schedule refrains from as little patient overlap between every appointment.
Protective Equipment
Our dental practice adheres to the strict PPE guidelines provided by the CDC. We wear the clinical attire, surgical masks, and gloves within the office. We wear these as we perform administrative tasks and patient screenings prior to their appointments.
Our dentists will also wear additional PPE:
- Face shields
- Eye Protection
- Gloves
- Clinical gowns
Depending on the procedures being performed, our team may wear additional protective equipment as well. For procedures involving aerosol generators, our dentists are required to use face shields or higher grade face masks like the N95 respirator.
Administrative and Dental Work Practices
In addition to adjusting our dental procedures, our administrative duties have changed as well. Our staff will properly store our equipment and resources that aren’t necessary during a given appointment. All resources necessary for a patient procedure will be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized.
Our dentists may limit the type of procedures they are performing in order to limit themselves from contracting the virus. For instance, the CDC recommends to limit the amount of aerosol-generating procedures as much as possible. This will help reduce the amount of droplet spatter produced from aerosol techniques and procedures.
Choose Professional and Friendly General Dentistry Practitioners in McLean, VA
McLean Family Dentistry will continue to remain as flexible as we can with our patients to ensure they are receiving the quality general dentistry services they need. We will follow any updates provided by the CDC and other world health organizations to ensure the safety of our staff and patients. Our staff has been trained to serve your dental needs during this time and we look forward to your next visit!
Schedule your next appointment online today! Contact our general dentistry office at (703) 991-6224 for any questions or concerns you may have.
Dr. Chand Attends GP Invisalign Summit 2017
In early September, Dr. Chand attended the GP Invisalign Summit for 2017, a four-day conference where the latest technology for Invisalign orthodontics is discussed. The conference is attended by many of the top practitioners in the United States.
This Invisalign Summit functions a live case presentation event, where practitioners can submit their Invisalign treatment plans and outcomes in four different categories for review. The best treatment is voted on during the conference, giving professionals a chance to review different treatments and discuss.
Dr. Chand was thrilled to attend this professional event with sessions led by other dentists and learning about leading Invisalign practices. The conference included the latest technology, workshops, and networking for professionals working with Invisalign. Dr. Chand is proud to be part of such as integrative community that focuses on patients first.
As the lead dentist at McLean Family Dentistry, Dr. Chand was excited to have this educational opportunity to learn about the latest and greatest advancements in Invisalign. After graduating from dental school in 2009, Dr. Chand opened her own practice to focus on family-first dentistry. She brings her passion for dentistry into her care for her patients every day.
Dr. Chand is always learning and growing as a professional in her field, and she looks forward to accumulating more knowledge about everything dentistry, including Invisalign. If you haven’t met Dr. Chand yet, we invite you to make an appointment at our state-of-the-art practice where patients are family!
Can Invisalign Correct My Overbite?
Invisalign is a unique system of orthodontics that uses clear plastic trays to align your smile over time. Invisalign can treat many of the same alignment problems that traditional braces can treat. Although traditional metal braces are better for more complex cases, Invisalign is capable of treating almost all common problems that braces can treat.
Can Invisalign correct your overbite? Let’s find out what Invisalign can treat and how you can get started with your treatment to secure your perfect smile for life.
Invisalign Corrects Bite Issues 
Invisalign is ideal for treating bite issues, including crossbites, overbites, and underbites. Overbites can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, bad oral habits (such as thumb sucking), and even your jaw bone development. People of any age can develop an overbite, although it’s most commonly apparent in childhood.
Regardless of what caused your overbite, Invisalign works to correct the problem regardless of your age. Since Invisalign can deal with many alignment issues, you can talk to Dr.Chand about using this form of treatment to correct your overbite in addition to any other alignment problems that will need to be addressed.
What Else Can Invisalign Do?
Many people have other alignment issues in addition to an overbite. Some patients may have crowded teeth, crooked teeth, or jaw problems that need to be corrected with orthodontics. When this happens, is Invisalign still the right choice for patients who need these other problems solved in addition to their overbite?
Invisalign is perfect for treating crowded or gapped teeth; however, it may not be an option for people who need adjustments to their molars or teeth that need to be moved vertically or rotated. Dr.Chand can help you determine if Invisalign would work for your unique smile.
Getting Started with Invisalign
It’s easy to get started with Invisalign. Simply make an appointment with Dr.Chand. During your consultation, Dr.Chand can examine your smile to evaluate the problems that need to be treated. You can then discuss if Invisalign is right for your treatment.
During the treatment process, you’ll receive a series of trays that are aligned to your smile. Each one will move your teeth into their designated positions over a period of time. You’ll get a new aligner every two weeks during your orthodontist appointment and you’ll need to wear your aligner for about 20-22 hours every day in order for the treatment to work properly.
Have more questions about how Invisalign can work for you? Schedule a free consultation and we will be happy to answer all of your questions!
Patient Understanding & Expectations for Laser Whitening with Biolase
Are you dreaming of beautiful white teeth but worried about how a professional whitening will affect your tooth sensitivity? With Biolase Laser Whitening at McLean Family Dentistry, you can experience a significantly whiter smile without sensitivity.
At McLean Family Dentistry, we see patients who really want whiter teeth but are anxious about the procedure based on one of the side effects of a traditional tooth whitening—tooth sensitivity.
Many of Dr. Chand’s patients worry about how the procedure will affect their already existing tooth sensitivity, or if it will create tooth sensitivity for a patient who has never experienced it before.
When you visit us at McLean Family Dentistry, we use Biolase Laser Whitening because patients have minimal to no sensitivity after the procedure. This is especially helpful for patients that regularly experience sensitivity. This system is effective yet much more gentle than other systems on the market. Our patients have been loving it!
Biolase Laser Whitening with Dr. Chand makes it possible for patients of all different sensitivity levels to enjoy spectacular white teeth without the risk of accruing tooth sensitivity.
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions from our patients about the Biolase procedure and Dr. Chand’s answers.
- Does Biolase Laser Whitening Cause Sensitivity?
Biolase is ideal for patients who may already experience tooth sensitivity because the procedure results in minimal sensitivity to no sensitivity at all. Even if you’re worried about increasing sensitivity, Biolase is a great option for those wanting to avoid this side effect.
- How Much Whiter Can I Expect My Teeth to Get after Laser Whitening?
You can effectively customize how much whiter you’d like your smile to be. Whether you want a subtler whitening to a dramatic difference, you can expect your teeth to be approximately 4-6 shades whiter after the procedure.
- How Long Will It Last?
How long laser whitening lasts depends on you and your unique smile, as well as your diet and oral care habits. For instance, coffee drinkers typically need to whiten their teeth more often than non-coffee drinkers. The same can also be true for other beverages such as red wine and tea.
- How Long Does the Procedure Take?
The Biolase system takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour from start to finish. This includes preparation time in order to keep your gums fully protected with the proper isolation techniques for the soft tissue.
- What Are the Rules for Aftercare?
In order to enhance the appearance of your smile and protect your newly whitened teeth, it’s important to not consume anything that can stain a white shirt for 72 hours after your procedure. This includes no coffee, no tea, and no red wine.
Biolase is a safe procedure that uses the same laser used for many dental procedures, just with a different attachment. When you choose teeth whitening with Dr. Chand at McLean Family Dentistry, you can expect a brighter smile and white teeth without a high risk for tooth sensitivity and no enamel damage.
If you’ve been wanting to experience whiter teeth, we invite you to make an appointment with us at McLean Family Dentistry. Dr. Chand and her staff can answer any additional questions you have about the Biolase System we use to bring you gorgeous white teeth. We can also address your tooth sensitivity concerns when it comes to teeth whitening.
We’re proud to offer our patients the Biolase Laser Whitening System to produce brilliant smiles with minimal risk. We look forward to seeing you at our office!
Cavities 101
Our teeth are made up of three parts:
- A) Enamel: this is outside layer of the teeth we brush and keep sparkling clean. This enamel contains no nerve endings. Brush it, scrape it, chew on it…it won’t hurt you. This also means you won’t feel a cavity on the enamel.
- B) Dentin: directly under enamel (about 1mm away to be precise) lays a yellowish layer called dentin. Now this part of the tooth does have nerve endings which will start explaining why some deeper cavities can cause discomfort. Ever drink something cold and you feel some sensitivity? That likely is some exposed dentin on the tooth.
- C) The pulp: here lies the blood vessels, the nerve, the lifeline of the tooth. This layer is directly below that dentin and is responsible for the dreaded toothache. A major toothache is likely resulting from the bacteria in the pulp which can cause excruciating pain!
Let’s talk briefly about cavities and their progression. A cavity starts on the enamel (because that’s where the acidity, food, and bacteria are). If the cavity has only minimally penetrated the enamel, we place a “watch” on that tooth. That watch goes on your chart and every time you come in for a cleaning we monitor whether or not the cavity has stayed the same size or grown. That’s one reason why fluoride treatment is so imperative as it halts the progression of small cavities and in some cases even reverses them! Now if a cavity has penetrated further through the enamel and is encroaching the dentin, that cavity is unfortunately past the point of no return. Those cavities we do need to treat to prevent them from getting to the nerve. Now let’s say the cavity gets to the nerve. What now? You probably guessed root canal and you would be correct. Once a cavity is at the heart of the tooth we need to clean out that bacteria to prevent or treat an infection from getting to the bone.
I believe, just as I do myself, many well qualified dentists try to avoid doing cavities until they are an absolute must. Until then, we watch and monitor. Unfortunately, there may be a time when they do have to be tackled and we at McLean Family Dentistry determine this by taking low-radiation digital X-rays with extremely clear resolution. We will review these X-rays with you and show you where the cavities are as it’s important to us that you understand completely what is going on in your mouth.
This concludes your Intro to Cavities 101. Dr.Chand is always available for extra tutoring sessions!
School’s Out For Summer!
It’s here! Summer break that is. Your kids are out of school and at home all day. (Deep breaths). Now I’m sure there are a few trips planned and it’s not all chaos. But I remember what it was like! (It wasn’t that long ago). Oh who am I kidding…it was a long time ago.
I remember waking up around lunchtime, staying in my pj’s all day, playing video games, watching TV and being on the phone A LOT. We ate all the junk food we weren’t supposed to eat and of course quenched our thirst with Slurpees. It was the life. Of course we told our parents we woke up at 9 am, brushed our teeth, showered, ate a healthy breakfast and absolutely did not eat a Cinnabon at Tysons.
That’s why it’s no surprise when I look at the schedule and see little Johnny on the books for a cleaning at 9 am that I know I’m in for some attitude. The last place Johnny wants to be is in my chair getting his teeth polished. Johnny wants to be in bed and we all know it. So I use a technique that I have seen work really well recently: Bribery.
1) Want to watch your favorite show or movie? Sure thing! Open up and let us take some pics and polish your teeth. You can watch Netflix, Hulu, HGTV, ESPN..etc.. Voila! Your wish is granted and you have beautiful, sparkling white teeth.
2) Want to wear your pj’s to your dental cleaning and just go to sleep? Not a problem for us! First of all, our chairs are probably the most comfortable dental chairs you have ever sat in. We’ll put a bite block in there and you can snooze right away. We will clean away your plaque (and your drool) and we’re all happy campers.
3) Want a Slurpee and a Cinnabon?? Tough luck. I like you too much to let you eat that much sugar. But we can use some fun flavors of prophy paste that you may really like. How about Strawberry Cheesecake, Sugar Cookie, Triple Chocolate Brownie, Strawberry Margarita, or Pina Colada as some delicious choices?
Before you know it Fall will be among us and the kids will be back in stressful work mode. I wish you all a safe Summer break and hope you remember to brush your teeth after enjoying that delicious ice cream cone on a hot Summer day. 🙂
-Dr. Chand
A Professional Brighter Smile Awaits. See 8 Shades Whiter in Less Than an Hour!
Boy oh boy are we a busy society! We are constantly running around. I hear from patients who lapse on their dental cleanings that they simply lost track of time. Busy work schedules and kids activities are constantly on everyone’s minds.
With this busy lifestyle we have created for ourselves, it doesn’t surprise me when patients come in and say they want to whiten their teeth but simply don’t have the time. Most people have heard of ZOOM whitening. It’s a wonderful product which gets your teeth 6-8 shades whiter, but it takes about an hour and a half. Another issue is it causes a lot of sensitivity in some patients. People loved their super white teeth but weren’t ecstatic about the time it took or how their teeth felt the evening after. I used to think of the old adage, “No pain no gain” but now know that’s not true.
I recently purchased a laser for the office. I had spoken to several colleagues who told me about this amazing laser which can complete a multitude of procedures. Of that, one is laser whitening. I gotta tell you, when I first heard of laser whitening, I was a little intimidated. I thought to myself, I can’t use a laser on my patients to whiten their teeth! How wrong I was!
I did some research and after my certification in laser treatment was completed, I performed “laser whitening” on my first patient. Wow! Wow! Wow! The procedure took half the time of ZOOM whitening and the results were just as good if not better! The best part, little to no sensitivity. My patients couldn’t be happier.
If you are looking for a fast way to get nearly 8 shades whiter in less than an hour, call us. The results are incredible and your smile will show it.
Too Embarrassed to Talk?
How can you be too embarrassed to talk? It’s simple, right? Open, speak, talk. Well, that’s what I thought too. Sure I’ve had patients who have come to me saying they hate their smile and want things fixed so they can look better and feel better about themselves. But it wasn’t until recently that I learned a very special patient wasn’t talking because they were embarrassed of their denture falling out.
Denture falling out…how? Good question! Normally we have patients who come to us who lost their teeth for various reasons and now want dentures to be able to eat and talk. We take impressions of their gum tissue sitting on bone and make dentures to sit on the U-shaped ridges. What people don’t realize is as we continue to put pressure on the gum and bone, the bone recedes. As that bone recedes, the denture doesn’t hold in place anymore. Those u-shaped ridges flatten out and the dentures don’t hold in place anymore. Why not make another denture you may ask? We could but the retention would be very poor as the denture would move around too much with the limited ridge height. And that is why people with ill-fitting dentures are embarrassed to talk. If you hit your tongue along the denture the wrong way, it will come right out. Imagine this happening at a nice dinner or during a business meeting.
Needless to say, patients who wear dentures stop enjoying the food they normally love because they simply can’t eat the same way. The chewing functions don’t work the same with dentures. If you love food as much as I do, the thought of that can be pretty devastating.
Please don’t think this is only happening to our 80+ senior citizen community because it’s not. Early tooth loss can happen very early in a person’s life due to many reasons. Diabetes, genetics, past drug abuse, smoking, trauma/accidents and various other reasons can attribute to tooth loss. And please don’t assume this is an issue with people of low income. You’d be surprised who’s wearing dentures because they simply didn’t know there was another option.
So let’s go back to that special patient of mine. He came to me frustrated with his denture and heard something about screws that hold dentures in place. He was talking about an implant-retained denture. This type of denture is held in place by implants and you don’t have to worry about taking them in and out or worse, falling out. And the best part is…You can eat your favorite foods again! The process is simple, doesn’t hurt, and is done by some of the best specialists in the area.
If you see him now that he has his denture fixed in his mouth, you can see a visible difference in his happiness. He smiles more, enjoys food again, and doesn’t have to worry about his denture coming out at inopportune times.
I hope that none of my patients are ever embarrassed of their smile. I hope that I can help in any way possible to get you the smile you want and deserve. Of course we will continue to be embarrassed of things that happen in our day to day life. After all, it’s life. Let’s just always be proud of our smile. 🙂
