-COVID Protocol-
Please call to “check-in” from your car at 804-717-5400. We will instruct you on when it is ok to enter. The lobby is closed.
Please check in from the parking lot 10 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment for maximum efficiency. Patients who are late will NOT be accommodated due to the additional time it takes to complete sanitization between scheduled appointments, and they will be charged a missed appointment fee.
Only the patient is allowed in the office, unless the patient is a minor. If the patient is a minor, they may be accompanied by a masked parent or guardian.
If the patient normally comes with a translator, the translator may be put on speakerphone, but again, only the patient is allowed in the office. If the patient normally has an aide, or someone to assist with wheelchair transfer, we ask that the accompanying person wear a mask, and only come in to help get the patient settled, then wait outside until needed at the end of the appointment. We recognize that in certain situations the patient may need to be accompanied for the length of the appointment, and we will evaluate this on a case by case basis.
Hand sanitizer is provided and patients are encouraged to use it on the way in and on the way out.
Each patient’s temperature will be taken prior to his or her appointment.
Patients will be given a 60-second pre-rinse prior to the start of treatment.
Payment is (still) due at the time services are rendered. If a payment is required, the patient will be required to make the payment before leaving the office.
-New Equipment-
We have invested in lots of new equipment to reduce aerosols and sanitize our clinical rooms. We have purchased extraoral dental suction units, several Ultraviolet Light towers to sanitize each operatory after use, as well as H13 HEPA Air Purifiers in each operatory to filter contaminants to a level of 0.
-Scheduling-
We must allow for an extra 20 minutes between appointments to run the UV light. Unfortunately, this means we are limited on how many patients we can see each day.
Due to the anticipated demand and limited appointment times available, cancellation fees do apply for all no-shows and any appointments cancelled without at least 24 hours notice. The fees are $25 per appointment for hygiene, or $50/hour for appointments with a doctor. We recognize that true emergencies do arise and exemptions will be made on a case by case basis. If you are experiencing a fever or any covid-like symptoms, please call to reschedule your appointment without penalty.
-Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)-
Clinical dental staff are rated as the highest risk profession for contracting COVID-19. Previous to this virus, universal precautions for PPE meant we protected ourselves against our biggest known threat, which, at the time, were blood-borne pathogens. This virus has changed everything. Proper PPE now includes the highest strength filtration masks (N95s), face shields, and hair coverings.
