Mundelein dentist does complete office remodel and other steps to ensure patient safety

Dr. Anthony Markiewicz first opened the doors to his dental practice in Mundelein during the summer of 1988. Over the next 30 years, his doors remained open. Not even personal sickness, the birth of his four children, global recessions, or family emergencies closed those doors. They remained defiantly and permanently open.

That changed in March when Governor Pritzker announced a state-wide shutdown in an effort to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus. For the first time in 32 years, Dr. Markiewicz closed his doors. All elective dental procedures were ceased. Employees were told to stay home. The doors were locked.

With the doors closed, Dr. Markiewicz had to figure out how he could open them again in a safe and responsible way.

Stuck at home for the first time in three decades, Dr. Markiewicz got to work. He became absorbed in consuming all COVID-19 news. He read medical journals, researched obscure safety products, and perused old scientific articles.

As a result of this scientific based research, Dr. Markiewicz was able to confidently take unprecedented action in an effort to ensure patient safety once his doors re-opened.

The first changes he made were structural. During closure, his office at 852 N. Route 83 went through a complete remodel. Cabinets were demolished, ceilings destroyed, and wires re-routed. The once “open concept” dental operatories were sealed-off and isolated to prevent cross-contamination.

Before the ceilings were put back together, Dr. Markiewicz installed a new HVAC system which made each dental operatory a “negative-pressure” room. Negative pressure rooms, which are typically only seen in a hospital setting, ensure dirty air is expelled before it can become stagnant or escape to other areas of the office.

In addition to creating negative pressure rooms, Dr. Markiewicz also installed six Medical Grade HEPA filtration systems with UV-c sterilization. These air filters act as hand sanitizer for the air, scrubbing the air of any contaminates.

With the help of his team, Dr. Markiewicz developed new and thorough safety protocols that have been implemented. Not only are all patients and staff screened upon their arrival, but appointment times and lengths have been adjusted to better accommodate social distancing.

Changes were made to create a touch-less environment for patients, including automatic hand sanitizing stations, toilets, sinks, and doors.

Cleaning and disinfection protocols have also been improved. In addition to the already rigorous disinfection procedures in-place, Dr. Markiewicz introduced “cold fogging” into the daily cleaning schedule. After thorough disinfection, each room is “fogged” with energized hypocholorous acid, a safe and FDA approved disinfectant. This fogging facilitates the cleaning of all hard to reach nooks and corners.

The above listed changes are just a few that Dr. Markiewicz has implemented since opening again. The safety products and protocols that have been put in place are re-evaluated on a weekly basis to ensure he is constantly improving. Dr. Markiewicz is aiming to provide exquisite dentistry and exquisite service in the safest environment possible.

The minute he closed in March, Dr. Markiewicz was thinking about re-opening. But he didn't want to just open, he wanted to open in a way that was safe for himself, his employees, his patients, and his community. He re-invented the way his practice was run, changing nearly everything in an effort to make each visit to his office is a safe one.

For information, call (847) 566-2811 or visit www.amdds.com.