March 17, 2020
It’s time for another Swan Ortho update!
It may seem like this pandemic is an endless and monotonous time, but really much has changed about our understanding of the virus, how it spreads, and – most importantly – the availability of effective vaccines. As the CDC slowly re-evaluates its guidelines for dental healthcare settings, we have worked diligently to maintain high standards for safety, as well as to keep our appointment procedures from becoming burdensome, for both our patient families and our team.
At this time we are implementing the following appointment procedures:
- When you arrive, please proceed directly into the office. (No more texting to let us know you are here!!)
- Each minor patient may be accompanied inside by one parent/driver. Any additional family members will need to wait in your vehicle due to space constraints for proper social distancing. Adult patients are asked not to bring any guests at this time. If you are more comfortable remaining in your vehicle during your child’s appointment, that is perfectly fine. We may ask some patients/guests to wait to enter the office if we start to reach capacity, particularly during our peak hours.
- All patients and guests must wear facemasks.
- Upon entry, everyone in your party should proceed directly to the front desk.
- All patients and guests will be asked the health screening questions, have their temperature taken with a forehead thermometer, and hand sanitizer will be dispensed.
- If the patient and guest both pass the screening items above, you will be directed to a socially distanced waiting area.
- When the clinical team is ready for you, they will greet you in your waiting area and accompany you to the chair for treatment. The patient and the guest should both proceed to the clinic, in order to make space for the next family in the waiting area. (For some younger patients who often tolerate procedures better without an audience, we will have an alternate waiting area available.)
- After the appointment, any instructions/updates will be given to the accompanying parent. If a minor patient is unaccompanied, a phone/text update will be given.
After consultation with several infection control experts, we have decided to keep our toothbrushing station closed for the time being. As a courtesy to your clinician, please brush your teeth before you come to your appointment! Orthodontists across the country have noted a significant decline in plaque control in the last year, so our clinical team will continue to pay special attention to this in order to help you protect your teeth from damage during treatment. Your teeth are not magically shielded from damage just because there is a pandemic and the world has gone somewhat crazy, so keep up the efforts!!
As always, please call to reschedule your appointment if you are sick or subject to quarantine. This pertains to any type of illness, not just COVID! If you believe you could be contagious or you were too sick to go to work or school, then you should not attend an orthodontic appointment.
Finally, if you prefer to wait in your vehicle rather than in our waiting area, please call our main office number when you arrive to make arrangements. We can delay your entry to the building and your health screening until the clinician is ready to welcome you directly to the treatment area.
We never expected our daily operations to be so different for so long, but it certainly is an improvement over March of 2020 when we were completely closed! Thank you again to all of our patients for your understanding and cooperation throughout this time. We so appreciate your willingness to try virtual appointments, to keep us advised of quarantines and illnesses, and your patience with rescheduled visits. There are so many examples of how our patient families have had to “roll with it” over the last year, and we are truly grateful for each and every one of you!
Dr. Swan and the Swan Ortho team