You originally had a dental checkup scheduled in March, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused dentists all over the country to reschedule elective appointments and only treat patients with emergencies. Recently, your dentist in Columbia called you and said that because they’re open now, you could attend your checkup. When you arrived at the office, you noticed a few things were different. For one thing, a member of your dentist’s team asked you to rinse with mouthwash before your appointment could begin. Why? Keep reading to find out.

Ever since social distancing guidelines were first introduced a couple of months ago, you’ve been following them diligently. You have family members who are high-risk for COVID-19, so you want to do your part to avoid spreading the virus to them. One day your dentist in Columbia calls you, letting you know it’s time for your biannual checkup. You start to wonder: is it safe? Absolutely! Dentists all over the country are taking precautionary measures to ensure their patients safety in the office, one of which is enforcing social distance. Keep reading below to learn how your dentist will use social distancing to keep you safe at your appointment.