Practice Protections: Kettenbach Sets Example With Safety Protocol
As dental teams went back to work over the past 2 months, most took the greatest precautions possible to ensure the safety of patients and employees. Working in an industry that already made infection prevention an extremely high priority, dental professionals took it up a few notches—donning respirators, face shields, and gowns, increasing their use of disinfectants and barriers, limiting aerosol production, and keeping patients socially distant.
But these enhanced protections have not been an easy adjustment. Dental teams are dealing with discomfort from PPE, the need to address a new wave of fears and concerns among both staff and patients, and—for many practices—a drop in production from limiting the number of patients in the building and spending more time cleaning and disinfecting.
With the focus on providing a safe environment and delivering quality dental care, most practices have sought to keep visitors to a minimum. At the very least, they want to know that those who do enter their office—whether vendors, sales professionals, or service techs—are going to follow safety protocols and be respectful of all guidelines in place for infection prevention.
A Company That Puts Safety First
One company that has taken this notion to heart during the pandemic is Kettenbach. Known for world-class impression materials and restorative products, Kettenbach took time at the onset of the pandemic to implement a new sales protocol and train its team members on new rules to protect the safety of themselves and others.
Among the many safety measures put in place by Kettenbach for its sales professionals:
•Call practices to schedule time or check on needs over phone
•During office visits, don a mask, carry only necessary items, and abide by all office requirements such as screening prior to entry
•Practice frequent and liberal application of hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol
•Disinfect surfaces in car between appointments
•Wash hands frequently throughout the day
More than anything, the company is respecting the guidelines and wishes of each practice it serves and upholding its welfare as the No. 1 goal.
Additionally, Kettenbach has kept its Huntington Beach, CA-based customer service and administrative team safe by keeping all employees home to work remotely. A return-to-work plan has already been established for when it is deemed safe to return to work. All employees are kept up-to-date on those safety protocols.
Making a Founding Father Proud
COVID-19 has changed all of our lives—the virus has profoundly impacted our industry and society as a whole. As we face this new reality and work to overcome its challenges, it’s comforting to hear about a company setting an example in the interest of safety.
Benjamin Franklin, who once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” would indeed be proud.