Last Updated: May 20, 2020

Dear Patients,

We are excited to have the opportunity to welcome you back! There is a lot of information in this communication and we respectfully ask that you read it in it’s entirety.

If you have a scheduled appointment, please assume that this will proceed unless you are specifically contacted by us. If you do not have an appointment, we will contact you to schedule this as soon as possible. As we are just starting back, we need to priorities patient’s appointments. Please note that we are now also offering virtual consultations to help respect families social distancing.

You will be contacted 48-72 hours prior to your appointment via phone or email and ask a set of health-related questions. It is required that we complete this questionnaire prior to your appointment. We will have to reschedule your appointment if we are unable to complete this step. If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment due to being sick we will waive all cancellation fees.

Our office has always utilized personal protective equipment (PPE), however, in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic we have instituted additional guidelines and protocols to ensure your safety.

Below is a list of some of the enhanced precautions we have taken to protect you in addition to extensive team training on infection control and patient management procedures.

1. Plexiglass guards have been installed in our reception area.
2. Enhanced operatory disinfection procedures of all surfaces between patients, including mist to access hard to reach places.
3. New personal protection equipment like visors, gowns, and masks for our doctors and team to provide barriers against the smallest of germs.
4. Protocols to reduce or eliminate airborne aerosols during all dental procedures. This includes special certified 0.3 micron filers in the office and a room with MediVac filters for aerosol generating procedures.
5. Enhanced disinfection procedures of fixtures such as computers, keyboards, POS machine, telephones, chairs, doorknobs, light switches and buttons that may be touched unconsciously.

It has been customary and natural to bring siblings, friends and other family members to appointments. Our new protocol will not allow for non-patient individuals to enter the office. Please drop the patient off and wait in the car until the appointment is finished.

One of our team members will be acting as a greeter and will meet each patient at the door.

All patients will be pre-screened again prior to entering the office. We will be taking temperatures (via no-touch infrared thermometer) prior to escorting patients back to the clinic. Anyone with a temperature of 99.5 or greater will be asked to reschedule their appointment. Please do not be offended if this happens. All of our staff will be pre-screened every day, just as our patients will be.

We have essentially closed our reception area. We have removed all toys, books and magazines as these items are difficult if not impossible to disinfect. We have also closed our coffee/tea bar.

Our patients will also be asked to use hand sanitizer prior to entering the office, as well as after their appointment is complete.

Only scheduled patients will be allowed back in our treatment area unless serious behaviour or medical conditions warrant exception. If you feel that you must accompany your child into the treatment area, please notify us prior to booking your appointment, as special scheduling parameters must be met. If you do accompany your child into the treatment area, you will be required to wear a mask as soon as you enter the office.

It is important, now more than ever, that all of our patients maintain immaculate oral hygiene. We have been required to close our brushing station, so please brush and floss at home prior to your appointment. There will be no opportunity to brush in the clinic. We will be giving patients a 1% hydrogen peroxide solution to rinse with at the beginning of each appointment.

We can call, text or email you with an update on the progress of treatment upon request. The date and time of your next appointment will be set and phoned or emailed to you: if this needs to be changed, please call or email us as soon as possible.

For our younger patients, we can no longer hand out little toys from our ‘treasure chest’.

We have been advised to close our washroom for public use, including patients. The washroom will still be properly disinfected for emergency use.

Your safety is our top priority. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Warmest Regards,

Dr. Bryan Hicks and Team