-New Protocols for Patients-
The lobby is CLOSED. Patients will “check-in” from the car by calling to let us know they are here. Patients will wait to be called in until the previous patient is gone and sanitization is complete.
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 in between scheduled appointments, and they will be charged a missed appointment fee.
If the patient is a minor, they are to be escorted to the front door by the parent or guardian, but only the patient is allowed in the office.
If anyone accompanies you to your appointment, they must wait outside (a reasonable distance from the door) or in the car. Only the patient is allowed in the office.
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.
Please bring in only what is necessary: i.e. wallet/ keys. Keep these items in your lap during your appointment. No purses, jackets, hats, cups, water bottles, etc. will be allowed inside.
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 peroxide 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. Payments may also be made in advance by phone (this can also be done when you call to check in).
At this time, patients with severely compromised immune systems or otherwise high-risk for contracting COVID-19 are discouraged from coming in for routine appointments. If you have an emergency, we are certainly here for you, but seeing as how we are just now reaching our peak in Virginia, now is not the time for us to be seeing you.
-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, an Ultraviolet Light tower to sanitize each operatory after use, as well as H13 HEPA Air Purifiers to filter contaminants to a level of 0.
-Scheduling-
We will be doing a “soft-opening” for at least a few weeks, until COVID-19 cases in Virginia have significantly decreased. Restorative visits with the dentist will resume on Monday, May 4th. Hygiene visits will not resume until Monday, May 18th.
We will only be seeing hygiene visits every 90 minutes to allow the aerosols to settle in between patients. There will also be a 30 minute break between patients with the dentist as well, for the same reason. Unfortunately, this means we will be limited on how many patients we can see each day. Many standing appointments will be cancelled. Patients with acute need will be given priority. Please be patient with us as we navigate how and when to best accommodate you.
Patients will be staggered in the office, using only rooms a significant distance from one another. Adjoining clinical rooms will not be used for the time being (i.e.: Sara and Chelsea’s rooms, and Dr. Crowder’s treatment rooms).
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 the novel coronavirus. 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. We bet Chelsea will still find a way to make this look good!
