COVID-19 Safety Update

We want to say thank you to all of you for your ongoing trust and support of our practice. Our most important goal is to provide you with the best dental care to obtain and maintain optimal oral health. At the same time, we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and strive to protect both you and our staff from infection. We have decided to continue to require face masking for all in our office, both patients and staff, at all times for the foreseeable future. We believe that this practice has helped prevent the spread not only of COVID but also other communicable diseases in our office over the past 2 years. We encourage you to sanitize your hands regularly but do not require you to do so when you come in. We have opened our waiting room so you no longer need to call from your car when you arrive. If you prefer to wait outside, just let us know. We are enjoying catching up with you all as we return to more of a sense of normalcy.

We continue follow the sanitation practices we upgraded in response to COVID.

Thank you very much for your patience and understanding of our policies. We always have and always will err on the side of caution with all of our safety measures to prevent the spread of communicable disease. Please let Dr. O’Leary know if you have specific questions. We look forward to seeing you!

Delta Dental Update November 2021

November 1, 2021     

 Dear Delta Dental Patients,

 As of January 2022, I will no longer be an in-network provider for Delta Dental.

 My commitment to your dental care will never be compromised by rules, restrictions or limited reimbursements imposed by any insurance company.  I can no longer provide the high quality of dentistry that you deserve at Delta Dental fees. I have tried for over 10 years to negotiate with Delta Dental to no avail. 

 I will continue to submit all Delta Dental insurance claims for you.  However, Delta Dental does not reimburse out of network providers.  Payment will be due from the patient at the time of your appointment and Delta Dental will send a check to you. We will gladly submit, upon request, a pre-treatment estimate to Delta Dental before any dental work is performed to determine exact reimbursement amounts.  You can also contact Delta Dental at the number on your card for more specific information.   

 I will honor all Delta Dental fees and patient co-pays for work started prior to January 1, 2022 provided the work is completed within 2 months.

 We will continue to assist you in maximizing your dental benefits.  Please let us know if you have any questions.  As always, our treatment recommendations will be based on the best long-term interest of your dental health.

 I look forward to seeing you soon.

 Sincerely,

Dennis S. O’Leary, D.D.S.

Safety Precautions for Patients during COVID – 19 Crisis

COVID-19 patient screening and temperature

• Every patient that enters our practice is screened for symptoms and elevated temperature before they enter the clinical area.  If they are a risk, they are asked to leave and the area is disinfected.

Limiting number of patients we see and respecting the 6 ft rule in reception area

• We have limited the seating in the reception area and are only allowing the patient scheduled to enter the building.  All patients are required to wear masks while in the office and are asked to strictly adhere to the socially distant floor indicators.

Hand Hygiene

• We take hand hygiene very seriously.  We ask that ALL patients use hand sanitizer upon entering the office.

Hourly disinfection of doorknobs and commonly touched surfaces

• Our team disinfects everything that has been in contact with a patient and hourly goes through the office disinfecting door handles and other commonly touched surfaces.

Sneeze guards to protect against aerosol from team and from patients

• We have incorporated sneeze guard partitions at the front desk to act as a barrier to prevent the spread of airborne aerosol. 

Personal Protective Equipment

• We have the latest in surgical masks, face shields, and eye protection,

• For Examinations and visits that will not create an aerosol we incorporate the same protections without the need for a face shield.

Hypochlorous Acid (HOCL) Fogging twice daily

• The active molecule is hypochlorous acid (HOCl).  Hypochlorous acid is a powerful oxidant and is 100 times more efficient at killing bacteria and viruses than chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite or NaOCl). 

• National and international reference laboratories have proven that HOCl works very well against viruses, including norovirus and human coronaviruses. One study is of particular interest: in 2016, researchers at the University of Washington School of Public Health found that HOCl was more than 99.999 percent effective in eliminating coronavirus OC43, which is similar to COVID-19.

HEPA Air Purifiers with UV-C Light

• We have added HEPA filtration units to the office to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 in air.  These systems help purify the air by minimizing harmful germs through filtration and the UV-C light helps kill airborne viruses.

Latest Advances in Disinfection and Sterilization of instruments

• We have always insured our patient’s safety by only using FDA and CDC approved disinfectants to clean all rooms and worksurfaces.  Our Instrument Management System (IMS) assures that all instruments are heat sterilized or disposable to ensure your safety.  We exceed the recommendations of the CDC and ADA.

Our patient’s and our team’s safety are our number one concern.  We will get through this together! Thank you for choosing our office!

A Note About Oral Cancer

Oral Cancer

As your dental office, it is our responsibility to be more than just your tooth doctor — we also want to contribute to your total body health.

That’s why we do a full oral cancer screening at every checkup. This quick and easy exam can catch oral cancer before it starts. Early detection, as with any cancer, is crucial to a positive outcome.

So don’t neglect your six-month checkup. We will clean your teeth and make sure you’re cavity-free. But we are also committed to your overall health, because your health is our top priority.

Some warning signs to look for:

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01 : Bumps/sores in the mouth that may bleed easily and don’t disappear on their own within 14 days

02 : Pain or difficulty chewing, swallowing or speaking

03 : Numbness in mouth/facial area

Smile Safety for Active Kids

A good reminder for the upcoming fall sports season...

Active kids call for active safety. And while helmets, goggles and knee pads protect your kids’ bodies, it's also important to protect their teeth. A mouthguard is an easy, reliable way to safeguard your child’s teeth during sports and play.

Mouthguards are especially crucial during contact sports such as football, hockey or boxing, where blows to the body and face are regular occurrences. But even non-contact sports, such as gymnastics, and recreational pastimes, such as skating or biking, pose a risk to the teeth.

In addition to cushioning your child’s teeth, using a mouthguard can prevent injury to the tongue, lips, face and jaw. Kids who wear dental braces should be especially careful to protect their mouths during physical activity.

A trip to the dentist can help you choose a mouthguard that’s right for your child.

There are three types of mouthguards to choose from:

- Stock Mouthguards. These pre-made protectors can usually be bought wherever sporting equipment is sold. Most dentists do not recommend their use because they cannot be adjusted to your mouth and provide only limited protection.

- Boil-and-Bite Mouthguards. Boil-and-Bite guards are softened with hot water and then molded over your child’s teeth. This somewhat custom fit leads to better protection and greater ease in talking and breathing. These are also available at most sporting goods stores.

- Custom Mouthguards. We can create a custom mouthguard designed specifically for your child’s teeth. These offer the best fit, comfort and protection. Call us if you have any questions!

Why So Sensitive?

5 Reasons Why Your Teeth Hurt

Do your teeth hurt when you drink or eat something hot or cold? Most people think this is normal, but that’s not always the case. When your teeth hurt, they’re trying to tell you something: See your dentist.

More often than not, tooth sensitivity is a sign of a dental problem like tooth decay or gum disease.

But there are other reasons why your teeth may be hurting:

01. You might have a cracked or broken tooth

02. One of your fillings could be broken or rotten

03. You might be grinding your teeth while you sleep

04. You could be brushing your teeth too hard

05. There might be dental plaque buildup on your tooth roots

Don’t make the mistake of ignoring sensitive teeth or trying to self-treat. If your sensitivity lasts longer than a couple of days or keeps recurring over a couple of weeks, make an appointment to see your dentist. The longer you wait, the worse it can get and the more expensive treatment will be. A quick exam can reveal exactly what’s going on and get you back to living pain-free.