Re-Opening

TO OUR WONDERFUL PATIENTS,

I hope this letter finds you and your families safe and healthy during this Shelter-in-Place Order.  There are so many changes in life presently.  It can be overwhelming.  I therefore want to communicate all that you can expect at your next appointment due to COVID-19.  Our primary goal is, and has always been, to support you and help with your needs while doing all that we can to keep our office safe and comfortable for you.  That hasn’t and won’t change.

During this time of Shelter-in-Place, dentists across the nation have been restricted to urgent dental care only.  We apologize for not being able to be there for you as we normally would like.  As PPE’s have started to become available, we are now taking on more semi-urgent care cases.   We are happy to announce that we expect to re-open June 1.  At first, our scope of care will be limited but will expand as ordinances allow and as the acquisition of PPE’s improve.

You will notice many new procedures, equipment and gear.  You may even feel that you are in a bad futuristic Sci-Fi film.  Is some of this overboard?  We don’t know yet but are happy to do all that we can for the time being to assure that everyone feels safe and comfortable. 

 

FOLLOWING ARE SOME DETAILS OF CHANGES THAT YOU MAY SEE AT YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT:

SCHEDULING

Our schedule will change to allow for longer appointments and time to prepare and clean rooms.  Appointment times will be staggered to allow distancing as patients come and go.  Many previously scheduled appointments times may thus need to be altered.   We apologize for the inconveniences from these disruptions.  We will first work to catch up on needs of patients that were previously scheduled but cancelled and for those patients having issues.   We may not be able to do all procedures on patients at first and we may need to temporize situations until a later date. 

Should you have any dental needs or know that you have work that should be done soon, please contact us so that we can work you into our schedule.   With the lack of a crystal ball to foresee the future, I urge patients with dental issues to minimally come in to address the issue so that we can plan how to proceed to avert worse issues should another Shelter-at-Home Order come this fall or winter.

RECEPTION AND ENTRY

To assist with social distancing and to aid in screening, we have implemented guidelines. 

  • Please call us when you arrive to let us know that you are here.  We will direct you to the proper door to enter.  A staff member will greet you at the door. 
  • At this time, we are only permitting one person per appointment inside the office.  If the appointment is for a minor or someone who requires assistance or translation, one additional adult can accompany them. 
  • Your temperature will be taken prior to entry into the building and a staff member will perform a pre-treatment Covid screening. 
  • You will be asked to use hand sanitizer.
  • Please come wearing a mask.
  • Please abide by 6 ft rule when possible.
  • Should you have a fever over 99.9F, flu-like symptoms or may have been exposed to anyone with the same, please do not come to your appointment.   Please call so that we may discuss the best next step for you.

PPE (Personal Protection Equipment)

We will be working with different gear than in the past.  Don’t worry about teasing us of our looks.  We will be teasing each other anyway.  You may see long gowns, hair coverings, masks and face shields.  In a few weeks, we will likely be wearing powered air purifying respirators to add even more safety for all. 

AEROSOL SHIELDS

We have fabricated aerosol tents for most procedures.  I apologize for the less than professional look.  I’m a dentist, not an engineer.  These shields should drastically minimize aerosols created during the procedures. 

WHAT TYPE OF APPOINTMENTS ARE BEING SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME?

At this time, we are focusing our care on situations that may become urgent in the near future.  We would like to try to remedy such cases now in case the fall/winter brings a return to Shelter-in –Place.  We encourage those with symptomatic problems and those with existing decay to contact us.  We will also be doing routine exams and radiographs on patients who are prone to decay or have issues.

Dental Procedures Temporarily Postponed

  • Routine exams on healthy patients with no recent decay or symptoms
  • Periodontal cleanings (on patients that are healthy or have only mild periodontal issues)
  • Cosmetic procedures
  • Treatment of situations that are unlikely to worsen in the next 6 months.
  • Treatment on immune-compromised or very elderly patients that are without symptoms or issues. 

Why are dental cleanings not being scheduled at this time?   We want to reduce the amount of aerosols in the air that some services produce – to reduce risk to both patients, employees and community.  Safety continues to be our highest priority for our patients and employees.  In addition, we are working to preserve PPE’s for all cases in which there is a greater need.  As guidance from the ADA, CDC, CDA and Alameda County Department of Health changes, so will the scope of care that we will offer.

 

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES USED TO CREATE A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE ENVIROMENT

3 Medical Grade True HEPA Air Purifiers to filter the air

 

4 A-Flex High Volume Suction Assistance (to remove aerosols generated by procedures)

 

Sterisil Straw V2 for waterline disinfection

Plexiglass barriers at our reception desk

Routine and frequent disinfection of all doors, switches, handles and surfaces, pens

All staff will be wearing masks

All staff member will undergo daily health screenings and temperature checks

 

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding treatment or the steps that we are taking to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. 

We are all in this together, and we are here to help!

Coming soon.

Our Location

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Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

7:00 am-3:30 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed