ANNAWAN, Illinois — Dr. Bogdan Taran at Countrywide Smiles spends his days taking care of people's teeth, and now, he's innovating a way to help his patients stay safe.
He's calls his invention the Proximity Aerosol Extraction System. He says it can clear out exam rooms of aerosol, which the tiny droplets that come out of patient's mouths during procedures.
"If you're sneezing or having a cough, you're expelling droplets in the air," Dr. Taran says. "Those could be contaminated, and we don't want them around."
His suction system sits right above the patient.
"It's going to take those droplets -- fine, mist-like droplets -- pull them out, filter them and shoot them out into the environment," Dr. Taran says.
The system is powered by an electric motor in the basement of the dental office. The suction hose runs from the exam rooms through the walls, to the motor, and out the window.
His invention has yet to be approved by any scientific body, or a researcher, just yet. So far, Dr. Taran says the system makes his patients more comfortable, he'll continue to use it as long as it's needed.
"The system is only there to serve a purpose," he says.
His goal is to have his device patented, and he's reaching out to engineers and manufacturers to improve on his design.
In the meantime, he says it works well, along with the patient safety measures he normally practices.
"Then again, two months from now, maybe everything will be removed from my office and we'll go back to business as usual if this all blows over," Dr. Taran says. "But for now, we're being extra extra careful."