May 12, 2020
Dear Friends,
We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our country and community have been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. As you have likely heard we are now open with some updates and limitations. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: Our commitment to your safety.
Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice. I would suspect that you have seen this clearly during your past visits to our office. Our Indian Ripple office was planned from the ground up with that in mind. The rebuild of the Lakeview office from last year’s tornado damage is finally expected to be complete and reopen in June with the same upgrades. Our care and our infection control processes are designed such that when you receive care, it is both safe and comfortable. We want to share with you information about the procedures we follow in our practice to keep patients and staff safe.
Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the activities of these agencies literally daily so that we are up to date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued. We do so to ensure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to each agency’s recommendations. During this time away from patient care, I have personally spent well over 150 hours in continuing education. This included a full Master’s degree level series on Virology and many others on Infection Control. In addition, my staff has spent much of their time on online webinars and meetings for your benefit. We have mandated specific courses for their advanced training prior to returning.
You may see some updates when it is time for your next appointment. We have implemented these changes in the interest of attention to detail and for the protection of our patients and staff. For example:
- Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office. We are required to take your temperature immediately upon entering.
- We have a hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will also find this in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed. You’ll be given a one-minute peroxide rinse before treatment. You may even be asked to wear a mask when not being actively treated or should there be discussions outside the treatment areas or around other patients.
- For your safety, you’ll find extreme attention to what we are terming “Professional Distancing”. While some measures may be overkill, you’re worth it.
- You may see that our waiting room has not offered magazines, children’s toys, and so forth for quite some time, as those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
- Appointment times will be staggered to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
- We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time. Distancing is mandatory should you have any wait time.
- You are asked, when possible, not to bring others with you to your appointment. Children and elderly patients who must be accompanied to the office will be asked to return to their vehicle, not the waiting room, for the duration of appointments. Patients, except is specific medical circumstances, may not be accompanied into the treatment areas with family (per CDC directive).
- We may request that even the patient appointed consider using your car as your personal waiting room, especially if distancing cannot be adequately maintained in even our large waiting space.
- You will see an added fee labeled “Infection Control” every appointment. We apologize for the cost and the fact that insurance companies are not yet covering it. Our costs and time involved in added protective equipment and disinfection measures are immense cannot be managed otherwise. You will be asked to cover this $15 fee at check-out irrespective of whether other fees are currently due or delayed. Whether or not this is temporary or permanent will be based upon the science as it is further discovered. Bottom line: We believe you will agree that the detailed attention to the protection of your health and that of your family is absolutely worth it.
- You will see every team member in a mask throughout the entirety of their day (per Ohio guidelines). Please forgive the impersonal nature of such. We know it’s awkward, but, for now, it’s the right thing to do.
- We will continue to have staffing difficulties as some members of our team have young children at home and currently no options for daycare. The pediatric office next door actually has so many staff in this condition that they are completely unable to reopen until school is out or daycare centers are operational. In our office, we’ll do our best to get back up to speed, with the health of our patients and our staff as the top priority.
Amongst all this change, many positives exist: This situation will result in significant and rapid advances in microbiology and virology – ones that should preclude this sort of event in the future. Advances in vaccines and pharmacology are inevitable. Funding for research that was cut off in the 1990’s should be restored and lead to greater understanding. Technology and equipment will improve and result in the next generation of advances in dental care, improved overall health, and increased safety.
From the standpoint of your own dental care, we know that the delays in available care may have allowed some dental or periodontal problems to advance. It will take us some time to get everyone caught up. We have the State’s approval to gradually ramp up, as the availability of protective equipment improves. We will be back with you on a limited basis Monday, working more towards full care shortly.
We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at (937) 426-5340 or visit our website at roddydental.com.
Thank you for your patience during these times ad for being a part of our family. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors, family, and friends.
Sincerely,
Ronald L. Roddy, DDS
