Dr. Lauren Whenry DDS

Our Office is Clean and Safe!

The recent events in Tulsa have caused many of us to have concerns about our health and health care providers. There is a considerable amount of trust that is required to receive treatment from any provider. Today, I would like to assure you that the trust you have given to me and my staff is warranted. Our office takes pride in providing high quality care. We do not take shortcuts; especially with regard to the cleanliness of our facility. To help ease apprehension you may have about this aspect of your health care, I would like to show you the process we go through to make sure our office equipment and instruments are properly sanitized. If you would like more information, it would be our pleasure to provide it. You are always welcome to tour the office, see our sanitizing equipment, and ask as many questions as you would like. I take my responsibilities very seriously, and I feel confident that you are safe under my care.

Sterilization and Disinfecting Procedures:
Our instruments go through a series of steps before they are used in patient care. First, our sterilization center is divided. Dirty instruments are placed in the cabinet with a RED light. Instruments are then placed in a metal cassette and submerged in our ultrasonic unit. The ultrasonic unit is a device that shakes instruments while they are submerged in an enzymatic solution. This dislodges debris from the crevices of the instruments. They shake for 15 minutes.

The instruments are then rinsed with water and placed in a sterilization pouch. The sterilization pouch has indicator marks on the packaging that let you know if the pouch is clean or dirty. If the indicator marks are pink, the instruments are dirty. If the marks are brown, they are clean. Our autoclave is monitored for effectiveness each month.

Once the instruments are bagged, they are placed into one of our two autoclaves. Once removed from the autoclave, they are placed into the cabinets with BLUE lighting. This prevents confusion about which instruments are clean.

Each needle and scalpel is only used once. All sharp objects, as well as anything considered to be biohazardous, are placed in a designated container. This container is then shipped offsite and incinerated. Suction tips as well as x-ray covers are also considered to be single use items. They are disposed of after each patient. Our office only uses equipment that can tolerate traditional autoclave sterilization. Some dental equipment is not heat tolerant and must go through a "cold sterilization" process. This involves soaking the item in a sterilization solution overnight. This is similar to what a barber uses for combs. It is common and widely accepted in dentistry. However, we only use things that can be autoclaved or thrown away.

Each operatory is cleaned with medical grade disinfectant after each patient. The chairs, cabinetry, and tubing are thoroughly wiped down and/or misted with disinfectant.

At the end of each week, we run an enzymatic cleaner through all of our suction tubing. This is followed with copious water irrigation. Each of our operatories is equipped with a water reservoir that is exclusively for distilled water. We never run tap water through our dental lines. We do this in an attempt to reduce the amount of bacteria that can accumulate in dormant tubing.

We also frequently disinfect common areas such as the lobby and restroom. For our practice, these techniques have been in place from the beginning. Regardless of the headlines, your health has always been our priority.

	A Dental Office You Can Trust Enjoy your beautiful smile with the help from our dental office located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dr. Whenry is a family and cosmetic dentist who offers comprehensive patient care. From basic cleanings and exams to advanced sedation surgeries, your needs can be met. She can take your dental care to the next level by offering a wide variety of treatments to create truly customized treatment plans.
	Comfortable Care Isn't it nice to know there is a dentist that cares about your needs? Our office understands that medical care is expensive. This is why our office always develops prioritized treatment plans that explain treatment costs and estimated insurance coverage. We don't want you to feel the awkwardness of unknown and hidden fees. In addition to an upfront approach, our highly trained team is always happy to answer any questions you may have.
	Safe Environment We are proud to provide the latest and most comprehensive safety protocols to protect you and your family while you are in our care. We offer shielding aprons with thyroid collars for procedures involving x-rays as well as high powered vacuums to be used when removing old silver fillings. You can feel confident that every precaution available is being used to assure your well being.
	Can a Dental Office Be Green? We think so! Our office takes pride in using environmentally friendly practices. Because of this, our office is "paperless". This means that we do not use traditional paper charts. Instead, we use digital charts and digital forms. Once you schedule an appointment to be seen as a new patient in our office, you can fill our the New Patient Forms online. This information is secure and is only shared with our computers. Once you are an existing patient, you can fill out forms for Established Patients. You can also access your account, see your treatment plans, and even pay bills online. This makes life easier for you and reduces unnecessary paper waste. Our office also uses digital x-rays. We use sensors instead of film. (Do you know that x-ray film packets have a lead lining that is thrown away after each use? This results in lead waste that ends up in our landfills. Traditional x-rays also require a variety of chemicals in order to be developed. This results in chemical contaminates in our water that must be filtered out.) Digital x-rays have no lead packaging and require no chemical developers. Digital systems also expose patients to far less radiation than traditional systems. We are also proud recycle, and to use environmentally friendly cleaning products. Every effort helps to preserve our planet, and protect our community. Tour Our Office