Meet the Doctors
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DR. JURGEN VANDER VELDEN
Dentist
Dr. Jurgen Vander Velden was born in Holland and raised from an early age in Waterloo, Ontario. He received his B.Sc from the University of Waterloo in 1987 and his D.D.S from the University of Western Ontario in 1991. Following four years with the Canadian Armed Forces as a Dental Officer, Dr. Vander Velden moved to Peterborough and fulfilled a lifelong dream by assuming his own practice in 1995. The practice blossomed and in 2006 was relocated to its present location. A firm believer in continuing education, he is committed to staying current with the leading-edge dental techniques and equipment, and has lectured internationally to other dentists on this topic.
Dr. Vander Velden and his wife are active members of the Peterborough community, and proud supporters of many local charities and worthy causes. Annually, Dr. Vander Velden and a rotating staff member volunteer their services with a dental humanitarian mission that provides basic dental care in rural Jamaica. He holds numerous association memberships and is a past president of the Peterborough Dental Society. An avid golfer, he resides in Peterborough with his wife Dr. Verona Sulja, also a dentist, and their two children.
“we look forward to working with you and your family to develop a positive and lasting relationship”
- Dr. Vander Velden
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DR. MEGAN FULFORD
Dentist
Born and raised in Peterborough, Dr. Megan Fulford joined our practice in 2016. Following an academic journey that began at Chemong P.S. and progressed through St Peter High School, Western University, Trent University and the University of Toronto, she fulfilled a childhood dream and graduated as a dentist in 2015.
Our connection to Megan runs deep – as a young teenager, she babysat Dr. Vander Velden’s small children, and she credits Dr. Vander Velden and his wife Dr. Verona Sulja for sparking her interest in dentistry! Dr. Fulford received numerous awards during her studies and has a special affinity for pediatric patients. She enjoys all aspects of dentistry and is committed to lifelong learning through ongoing continuing education courses. Away from the office, Megan enjoys time with family and friends, outdoor activities, and working on her golf game. Dr. Fulford has professional affiliations with the ODA, CDA, PDDS, and RCDS.
Megan is thrilled to return to “the Patch” after her time away and to be part of the team at Dentistry on Sherbrooke.
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COVID statement
Dear valued patients,
In response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 crisis, on 15 March 2020 our provincial licensing body, the RCDSO, ordered all dental offices to close until further notice. Exceptions can be made only for true emergencies such as oro-facial trauma, severe pain, life-threatening infection or uncontrolled bleeding. All non-essential treatment is postponed. If you have an appointment booked, consider it cancelled. We will contact you to rebook when the situation normalizes and the office is allowed to reopen. If you have a true dental emergency, call the office at 743-2495 and follow the recorded instructions. If you have a less urgent concern, please send us an email at info@dentistryonsherbrooke.ca
In the meantime, we are using this time to update our website.
Please read on for Dr. Vander Velden’s thoughts on post-COVID dentistry….
As we contemplate eventual re-opening, first let me reassure you that Dentistry on Sherbrooke has always maintained the highest order of cleanliness and sterility to protect our patients and staff from the transmission of illness through cross contamination. With the dental profession’s intense focus on IPAC (Infection Control and Prevention), it is difficult to imagine a cleaner and safer place than a dental office. So, whether it’s coronavirus or the regular seasonal flu, we’ve always been prepared.
• All of our staff has always followed PPE (personal protective equipment) guidelines, which include gloves, masks, eye protection, footwear and scrubs/gowning.
• Treatment staff don new gloves every time they enter or re-enter an operatory, washing their hands thoroughly prior to donning new gloves.
• Each treatment room has always had every surface disinfected after every patient.
• The dental chairs, counters, and all surfaces are wiped down with hospital grade disinfectants after each and every procedure.
• Wherever possible we use disposable, single use items.
• Instruments are washed, disinfected, bagged and then sterilized. Each instrument pack has a date stamped on it and inside the pack is an indicator strip that ensures the deepest portion of the instrument kit achieved the required temperature to be sterile. Every day the sterilizer has a live culture test to ensure it is working properly. Every surgical instrument kit is quarantined after sterilization while we run a live culture test to ensure that no microbes grow.
• Instrument packs are opened only when the patient is seated in the dental chair, and in full view of the patient.
• We treat the water in our dental chairs to ensure sterility. We purge and clean our waterlines daily, and test them routinely with live culture tests to ensure they remain clean.
• We recently invested over a $100,000 to further upgrade our hospital grade reprocessing system.
• We employ a full time sterilization technician, whose sole responsibility is the cleaning and sterilization of all of our instruments.
Although we don’t have an exact date, at some point the office will be allowed to re-open. Extensive extra precautions are a certainty. I have been diligently following the recommendations of various other dental governing bodies as other jurisdictions are being cautiously allowed to re-open. The scope of these extra measure seems to change daily, but rest assured that we will be fully compliant when the time comes that we can re-open.
Some of the things that we have already done, or are in the process of doing include:
• Sourcing and utilizing extra PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and other recommended items in short supply such as masks, face shields, disinfectant sprays and wipes, disposable gowns, hydrogen peroxide rinse, antibacterial soap, hand sanitizers, etc.
• Installing plexi-glass barriers at the reception desk, to reduce inter-personal contact and uphold social distancing principles.
• All staff, not just our treatment providers, will now be wearing appropriate PPE all day to ensure their protection and yours.
• Working out scheduling intervals with increased time for additional infection control practices and staggering appointments with hygiene to reduce patient contact in the front office area and provide for social distancing.
• Screening protocols for staff. As always, unwell staff will be required to stay home. Twice daily infrared thermometer temperature checks for all staff.
• Screening protocols to see only healthy patients. When you schedule an appointment, we will ask you a series of questions. When you come for your appointment, we will ask you these questions again. We are screening patients to ensure that if they have travelled recently, have sick family members at home, or are even mildly unwell that they do not come to our office.
• Infrared thermometer temperature check for all patients before they enter our office.
• Every patient that enters will now be required to sanitize their hands immediately, wear a mask at all times when they are not in treatment and remove their street shoes.
• Curbside check-in (call when you arrive but wait in you car until we call you to let you know we are ready to seat you). We ask that only the patient (one parent with a child) with an appointment enter our office to minimize contact with other people and to observe social distancing guidelines.
• Reduced, and appropriately spaced seating in our reception area. No accompanying guests will be allowed into the treatment operatories.
• Analysis of AGP (Aerosol Generating Procedures) and ways to reduce them. Some of the changes we have been considering include elimination vs selective use of ultrasonic scalers, use of auxiliary high volume suction devices, use of rubber dam isolation for fillings from the start of the procedure, and cleanings with no polish to reduce splatter.
• Use of 1.5% Hydrogen peroxide pre-rinse for all AGPs to reduce pathogens.
• Increasing the time intervals between patients for the treatment room after an AGP.
• Elimination of toys, gaming and magazines in the waiting room.
• Disinfection of the reception chairs, door handles, pens, debit machines and washrooms between patients.
In closing I want everyone to know that the safety of my staff and patients is paramount. When Dentistry on Sherbrooke re-opens, we will be ready and our office will be safe and secure.
Stay safe,
Dr. Jurgen Vander Velden
COVID statement
Dear valued patients,
In response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 crisis, on 15 March 2020 our provincial licensing body, the RCDSO, ordered all dental offices to close until further notice. Exceptions can be made only for true emergencies such as oro-facial trauma, severe pain, life-threatening infection or uncontrolled bleeding. All non-essential treatment is postponed. If you have an appointment booked, consider it cancelled. We will contact you to rebook when the situation normalizes and the office is allowed to reopen. If you have a true dental emergency, call the office at 743-2495 and follow the recorded instructions. If you have a less urgent concern, please send us an email at info@dentistryonsherbrooke.ca
In the meantime, we are using this time to update our website.
Please read on for Dr. Vander Velden’s thoughts on post-COVID dentistry….
As we contemplate eventual re-opening, first let me reassure you that Dentistry on Sherbrooke has always maintained the highest order of cleanliness and sterility to protect our patients and staff from the transmission of illness through cross contamination. With the dental profession’s intense focus on IPAC (Infection Control and Prevention), it is difficult to imagine a cleaner and safer place than a dental office. So, whether it’s coronavirus or the regular seasonal flu, we’ve always been prepared.
• All of our staff has always followed PPE (personal protective equipment) guidelines, which include gloves, masks, eye protection, footwear and scrubs/gowning.
• Treatment staff don new gloves every time they enter or re-enter an operatory, washing their hands thoroughly prior to donning new gloves.
• Each treatment room has always had every surface disinfected after every patient.
• The dental chairs, counters, and all surfaces are wiped down with hospital grade disinfectants after each and every procedure.
• Wherever possible we use disposable, single use items.
• Instruments are washed, disinfected, bagged and then sterilized. Each instrument pack has a date stamped on it and inside the pack is an indicator strip that ensures the deepest portion of the instrument kit achieved the required temperature to be sterile. Every day the sterilizer has a live culture test to ensure it is working properly. Every surgical instrument kit is quarantined after sterilization while we run a live culture test to ensure that no microbes grow.
• Instrument packs are opened only when the patient is seated in the dental chair, and in full view of the patient.
• We treat the water in our dental chairs to ensure sterility. We purge and clean our waterlines daily, and test them routinely with live culture tests to ensure they remain clean.
• We recently invested over a $100,000 to further upgrade our hospital grade reprocessing system.
• We employ a full time sterilization technician, whose sole responsibility is the cleaning and sterilization of all of our instruments.
Although we don’t have an exact date, at some point the office will be allowed to re-open. Extensive extra precautions are a certainty. I have been diligently following the recommendations of various other dental governing bodies as other jurisdictions are being cautiously allowed to re-open. The scope of these extra measure seems to change daily, but rest assured that we will be fully compliant when the time comes that we can re-open.
Some of the things that we have already done, or are in the process of doing include:
• Sourcing and utilizing extra PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and other recommended items in short supply such as masks, face shields, disinfectant sprays and wipes, disposable gowns, hydrogen peroxide rinse, antibacterial soap, hand sanitizers, etc.
• Installing plexi-glass barriers at the reception desk, to reduce inter-personal contact and uphold social distancing principles.
• All staff, not just our treatment providers, will now be wearing appropriate PPE all day to ensure their protection and yours.
• Working out scheduling intervals with increased time for additional infection control practices and staggering appointments with hygiene to reduce patient contact in the front office area and provide for social distancing.
• Screening protocols for staff. As always, unwell staff will be required to stay home. Twice daily infrared thermometer temperature checks for all staff.
• Screening protocols to see only healthy patients. When you schedule an appointment, we will ask you a series of questions. When you come for your appointment, we will ask you these questions again. We are screening patients to ensure that if they have travelled recently, have sick family members at home, or are even mildly unwell that they do not come to our office.
• Infrared thermometer temperature check for all patients before they enter our office.
• Every patient that enters will now be required to sanitize their hands immediately, wear a mask at all times when they are not in treatment and remove their street shoes.
• Curbside check-in (call when you arrive but wait in you car until we call you to let you know we are ready to seat you). We ask that only the patient (one parent with a child) with an appointment enter our office to minimize contact with other people and to observe social distancing guidelines.
• Reduced, and appropriately spaced seating in our reception area. No accompanying guests will be allowed into the treatment operatories.
• Analysis of AGP (Aerosol Generating Procedures) and ways to reduce them. Some of the changes we have been considering include elimination vs selective use of ultrasonic scalers, use of auxiliary high volume suction devices, use of rubber dam isolation for fillings from the start of the procedure, and cleanings with no polish to reduce splatter.
• Use of 1.5% Hydrogen peroxide pre-rinse for all AGPs to reduce pathogens.
• Increasing the time intervals between patients for the treatment room after an AGP.
• Elimination of toys, gaming and magazines in the waiting room.
• Disinfection of the reception chairs, door handles, pens, debit machines and washrooms between patients.
In closing I want everyone to know that the safety of my staff and patients is paramount. When Dentistry on Sherbrooke re-opens, we will be ready and our office will be safe and secure.
Stay safe,
Dr. Jurgen Vander Velden
Pursuant to guidance from the Royal College of Dental Surgeons and the Chief Medical Office of Health, we are extending our office closure until further notice.
All non-essential dental treatment and cleaning appointments have been cancelled until further notice.
We will contact patients to reschedule when our office re-opens.
If you are experiencing an extreme dental emergency you can call Dr. Vander Velden's personal pager at 705-741-9316 and leave your phone number. If it is less urgent, please send an email to info@dentistryonsherbrooke.ca and we will contact you within 24 hours.
Stay safe everyone!
As per the newest recommendations from the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario we are extending our office closure.
All dental treatment and cleaning appointments have been cancelled from April 6th through to April 17th.
We will contact patients to reschedule when our office re-opens.
If you are experiencing an extreme dental emergency you can call Dr. Vander Velden's personal pager at 705-741-9316 and leave your phone number.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PATIENTS
We have been carefully monitoring the latest developments in the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID19). Our governing college, the RCDSO, had advised dental offices to do the following: Starting on Monday, March 16th, we will be rescheduling all non-emergency appointments to April 6th, 2020 or later. All hygiene appointments are being cancelled, to be rescheduled at a later date. We will be checking our voicemail daily, so please leave a message If you are having a dental emergency, and will will return your call. The safety of our patients and our team are our highest priority. Everyone stay safe out there, and be kind to one another.
Sincerely,
Your Dentistry on Sherbrooke Team