Tulip Tree Dental Care is committed to the health and safety of our patients. We follow the highest standards of hygiene and sterilization in our office, and with the Cascade White Air Purifier serving our exam rooms and the Jade Air Purifier in our waiting area, we are going beyond sterilizing the surfaces and instruments that we use and actually cleaning the air that we breathe!
What Is Really in the Air We Breathe?
The pollutants in the air we breathe can cause anything from allergy symptoms to serious health complications. What is in the air that causes these?
Some less harmful, but still concerning, impurities are visible to the naked eye and make up 10% of the pollutants in the air, including:
- Dust and Dirt
- Skin Cells
- Allergens
Minuscule organisms can be more serious pollutants making up the remaining 90% of air impurities, including, but not limited to:
- Mold
- Bacteria
- Fungus
- Viruses
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
The dangers of mold, bacteria, fungus, and viruses are well-known, but this may be the first time you are hearing about VOCs. These are harmful, man-made chemical compounds that can be found in perfumes and air fresheners. All of these air impurities can make breathing difficult and cause serious, sometimes chronic, illness.
Our Air Purifiers vs. Impurities
RTI International has tested several organisms against our Cascade White Air Purifier and our Jade Air Purifier, with resounding results. With a virus organism in the air, the test proved the air purifier removed 99% of the virus in less than 15 minutes. The same results were found in cases of fungal and bacterial organisms, making our purifiers perfect choices for our dental practice.
These purifiers are designed to use short-wave ultraviolet light (UV-C light) to inactivate airborne pathogens and microorganisms. As air is forced through the device, it passes UV lamps, which directly attempt to disinfect the air by means of germicidal irradiation.
A Clean and Relaxing Dentist Experience
When you walk into any healthcare facility, you should feel confident that you are in a safe, clean environment where you will only become healthier. However, healthcare facilities are not immune to air contaminants. Patients come and go every day from their jobs, school, and families, and could unknowingly be releasing a viral organism into the air. At a dental practice, where your mouth is open for long periods of time, patients need a guarantee that the area they are in is clean and safe for their body. We are providing our patients with that guarantee with our new air purifiers, so you can breathe a (clean) sigh of relief during your appointment.
Tulip Tree Dental Care's Commitment to a Clean Practice
Every day, our staff diligently sterilizes the tools we use, the chairs our patients sit in, and our entire office. With our Cascade White Air Purifier and Jade Air Purifier, our dental practice will also have medical-grade, surgically clean air. No matter the time of year or the infections spreading in the South Bend area, you will always have clean dentistry that you can trust at Tulip Tree Dental Care!
Read Our Feature In WSBT 22
Our state-of-the-art clean air system was recently featured by local news station WSBT 22. In the piece, our very own Dr. Hurcomb shared her feelings on providing safe dental care during these uncertain times:
"It’s a lot to take in, but it feels really good that we're taking such good care of not just the patients but I feel like I’m taking better care of my team as they’re coming in and being exposed to everybody that comes in," said Dr. Nicole Hurcomb. "I feel super safe. I’m not afraid to come to work. They’re not afraid to come to work, we feel really good about it."
If you have any questions about our health and safety standards, or simply wish to know more about our practice, please do not hesitate to call our office.
