Dentistry is an Essential Service, so Dentists Invest in Advanced Air Filtration for Maximum Safety
Last week I met a real-life virus hunter named Alan Pinkerton. Is it a coincidence that he has the same name as the famous Scottish American detective and spy, best known for creating the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in the United States in 1850? That historic figure was an Allan with two l’s, but just like that pioneer sleuth, this modern Pinkerton is also a tireless investigator. He has a medical background and uses science to track microscopic contagion which he traps in a machine called the Virus Killer.
Alan Pinkerton holds HEPA filters for the VirusKiller-401
Alan Pinkerton provides an essential service to people who provide essential services.
Earlier this month, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a second state of emergency and issued a stay-at-home order for the province beginning on Jan. 14th, 2021. The order requires everyone to remain at home, except for essential workers, or people exercising, or going to the grocery store and pharmacy, or accessing health-care services.
Ontario dentists provide an essential health care service and until they hear from the province, they remain fully operational. This puts these medical professionals, who are also small business owners in a difficult position because they work in proximity to patients who exhale directly into their faces.
Archer Dental has three locations in Toronto and diligently guards against infection. They connect with each patient before they arrive using Dental Attendant, an artificial intelligence chat bot which runs visitors through a nine-point questionnaire. They take everyone’s temperature upon arrival and use the most up to date instrument sterilization and infection control procedures between every appointment. And now, because coronavirus-19 is an airborne contagion, they’ve hired air filtration experts to improve the atmospheric circulation inside each of their clinics.
On this day, Dr. Natalie Archer was there in person to watch Alan track the airflow at Archer Dental Baby Point. Here they are checking the air intake vent at the back of the office
Alan starts by measuring the humidity and the carbon dioxide levels in the room. Measuring CO2 is an excellent baseline for tracking human breath exhale. I watched the device gain a hundred points when three people were in the operatory.
Alan’s hunt is very comprehensive. He checks the rooms before the air conditioner is turned-on to see how the natural layout affects the atmosphere’s movement. Then he turns on the in-house HVAC and eyeballs how much better the smoke moves through the room. Finally, he installs his machines and checks a final time to make sure the simulated exhalant dissipates in under a second.
And where does the air go? Into a Radic8 VirusKiller 401.
VK 401 by Radic8 was made in South Korea and was first developed after the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in 2003. These are the latest models. The VK401 decontamination unit is specially designed for dental surgeries and other medically sensitive spaces. This is clean air technology solution that has been tested and proven to increase airflow and optimize disinfection in a small room, such as dental operatories. The air filtration unit deactivates viruses and bacteria and effectively neutralizes noxious gases and larger particles such as dust, dander, and other allergens.
As the room’s atmosphere passes through the machine, it goes through a two-stage cleaning process; first the air is purified and then disinfected. The pre-filter, HEPA filter, and activated carbon filter all combine to eliminate other particles like dust, pollen and smoke. Organic and biological contaminants are exposed to a patented UV-C Reactor Chamber, where germicidal hydroxyl radicals are produced to efficiently deactivate viruses, bacteria, mould, and fungi. This clean air is then delivered back into the breathing zone providing world-class, real-time indoor air protection.
The VirusKiller is ideal for small commercial spaces. Keep your eyes open for Alan Pinkerton, the Virus Hunter in medical offices, elderly care homes, government buildings, school classrooms and childcare facilities, and leisure facilities across Ontario.