COVID-19 Update

(2022) An update to our patients & families:

On June 15 the Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in children ages 6 months to 4 years. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control announced its endorsement of the FDA’s approval on June 18. The vaccine was approved for children ages 5 to 11 on Nov. 2, 2021, children/teens ages 12 to 15 on May 10, 2021, and approved for everyone 16 and older on Dec. 11, 2020.

We know our patients and their families likely have questions about the vaccine and whether or not it’s the right decision for their children. As part of your child’s extended health care team, we are happy to help answer your questions when we see you at your next scheduled dental visit. A lot of helpful information about the available COVID-19 vaccines and their safety is available from the CDC at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/safety-of-vaccines.html

 At Kids Care Dental and Orthodontics, the health and safety of our patients is our top priority. If you need information on scheduling a vaccine appointment for you or a family member, visit https://myturn.ca.gov/.

Below you may find some answers to the most frequently asked questions; but if you do not find the information you need, please don’t hesitate to contact us, so we can help.

Is it appropriate to keep or schedule my child’s next appointment amidst the continued COVID-19 concerns?

Yes. While masking remains important, it is equally important to keep your child’s dental health a priority. Declines in dental care during the pandemic have resulted in delayed treatment and the worsening of oral health conditions. We encourage you to continue your child’s regular preventive dental care with us.

Is the office clean and safe?

Absolutely. We continue to employ CDC, state, and local health and safety recommendations, and we have also installed a medical-grade, turbocharged air “scrubber” that removes 99.9% of particles and bacteria, including COVID-19, in many of our practices.

Rest assured, we already:

• Employ the highest level of sanitation practices in the treatment areas
• Maintain rigorous personal hygiene requirements in all areas of the practice
• Supply hand sanitizing stations for patients, families and staff
• Actively engage a clinical advisory council of esteemed medical specialists to provide critical oversight on policies and procedures

Additionally, we have:

• Installed safety barriers in the open bays.
• Increased training and support to our employees in order to better assist our patients and families
• Daily wellness checks to confirm the health of each employee prior to seeing patients
• Increased frequency of surface disinfection in high traffic areas such as our reception areas
• Screening of patients and families for illness prior to their visit

Do I need to wear a mask?

Yes. It is a California requirement for all — including those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 — to wear a mask when obtaining health care services. Please review California guidelines with any concerns or exceptions by clicking here.

Is there anything else I should do differently for my post-COVID visit?

We encourage patients and families to continue to practice safe social distancing, obtain a COVID-19 vaccine, wear a mask, and to reschedule your child’s appointment if you or anyone in your family are sick.