Like many businesses, Dr. Yamen Ghamian and Dr. Habib Khoury had to shut down their practice at Centrum Dental and send their staff home on March 15, affecting their business. Being around for 25 years, shutting down was hard for both them and their clients.
However, Centrum Dental is excited to say they are now opening back up. The Health Directive of the Ministry of Health have set out some guidelines to follow as they begin their soft opening.
The dental office is in luck because they have no limitations to their dentistry. They are allowed to continue on as they normally would in terms of all procedures.
The real difference is sitting out in the waiting area. Customers have to go through a screening with a questionnaire when making the appointment and a temperature check upon arrival.
If the cases are confirmed as positive the staff will defer the appointment for at least 14 days.
“In cases where we really have to see the patient, and they’re positive, there are whole separate precautions in terms of isolation,” said Dr. Khoury, “a way to isolate the room, make it closed, which we are prepared for that, a way to wear special masks, which we have, and wearing face shields and gowns.”
The office has lessened the seating in the waiting room, took away toys for the kids, and magazines to read. There is also a virtual waiting area in the parking lot.
“There’s minimum use of the waiting area,” said Dr. Khoury, “there’s a system where we approach the patient in their car and tell them that we’re ready for you and only then they can come in.”
Khoury and Ghamian are hopeful their clients will feel safe coming back into their care. They have put out a lot of safety measures; they are confident and prepared for anything that comes their way.
“We’re already at the same level as a hospital [when it comes to sterilization,]” said Ghamian, “now we’re going above and beyond with these additional measures.”
Ghamian and Khoury are excited to start their practice again and hope to see their clients. Their approach to the new opening is solid and over time, as the pandemic goes away, they will be able to go back to their prior normal.
For more information visit their website at centrumdental.ca or call them at 613 599-5076.
