10/16/2020
October Updates!
Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our patients and staff. We'd like to share an update on enhancements we’ve made to our office experience, protocols and fees so you know what to expect at your next visit to our office. We continually monitor all provincial and public health guidelines in order to meet or exceed requirements.
Health Screening
Our staff are screened daily for symptoms, temperature and oxygen levels. We continue to screen our patients by telephone and email in advance for symptoms, exposure or travel, and upon entry to our office we also screen for temperature and oxygen levels. Every visitor entering our office must wear a mask or face covering at all times except while seated in the treatment room.
Room Ventilation and Isolation
If you’ve visited us recently, you'll have noticed newly installed glass doors that enclose our treatment rooms. We’ve also enhanced our ventilation and air filtration. In each treatment room, we’ve installed medical-grade HEPA and UV filtration supplied by Surgically Clean Air. Our HVAC systems have been assessed by a professional engineer who has certified that the air in your treatment room is exchanged and filtered every 6 minutes.
Aerosol-Generating Procedures
At this time, our hygienists are not performing aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) during routine cleaning appointments.
Curbside Check-in
Our goal is to keep our reception area clear and only bring patients into our office when we are ready for you, so we ask that you come on time and not early or late. This will become even more important as we move into the colder months. You can let us know you are here by responding to the text message you receive before your appointment, or by calling us. We will respond to let you know when we’re ready for you and a staff member will meet you at the entrance for screening.
Chaperones
Very young children and those needing support during their appointment may bring one chaperone, however the chaperone must accompany the patient into the treatment room. If you are a parent bringing your school-aged children, we strongly encourage you to drop your kids off and we will call you if we need to discuss treatment, and when they are ready to be picked up.
PPE
For your safety and theirs, all of our clinical staff are provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face shields, N95 and ASTM level 3 masks, gloves and gowns.
The Ontario Dental Association has suggested a range of $8-$18 for a per-patient visit PPE fee for dental offices to charge in order to cover some of the higher costs of providing treatment during this time. Some offices have chosen to raise their fees to account for increased costs. We feel it is important to be transparent about the fee, and we have set it at $6 per patient visit beginning Monday October 19th. This fee is temporary and is to offset a portion of the costs associated with these pandemic-related enhancements. Some insurance plans may cover the fee, and others may not. We appreciate your understanding and, as always, we welcome feedback and want to hear from you if you have questions or concerns about the fee or any other comments or suggestions about your experience at our office.
Thank you as always for your support and trust. We look forward to seeing you soon at our office.
Dr. Vickie Sugarman
Dr. James Sugarman
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