Dear Patients and Families of Simi Orthodontics,
We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Since the inception of COVID 19, we at Simi Orthodontics look forward with enthusiasm to continuing your orthodontic treatment!
Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice. 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) and we continuously monitor new guidance that is issued.
We’ve made some changes in office protocol to minimize possible contagion and to allow for social distancing to keep patients, their families and our staff safe. Hopefully, these changes in protocol will be temporary and will evolve as we move past this pandemic.
- We need you to answer some screening questions about the health of the patient and immediate family members 24 hours before his/her appointment. Also, we request your signature on an addendum to our informed consent. Both forms are available on our website for easy completion on our Patient Forms page. The patient may be asked some of the same health questions again when he/she is in the office.
- Instead of using our tooth brushing stations at the office, please have the patient brush his/her teeth at home prior to the appointment. The patient should wear a mask into the office and while in the office until his/her treatment is performed.
- In order to practice safe social distancing while at our office we need to minimize the number of people in our waiting room. Initially, our parking lot will become an extension of our waiting room. Upon arrival in our parking lot please call our office to inform us that the patient is here. We will advise you when to send the patient into the office with parents and siblings ideally waiting in the car. There are certain appointments that will require a parent to come into the office. We will inform you of these appointments when booking.
- Dr. Simi is always interested in updating parents on treatment progress and can either do this by phone while you are in the parking lot or by phone or email at the end of the day.
- Upon entering our office we will take the patient’s temperature using a non-contact thermometer. We will also ask the patient to clean his/her hands. Patients who answer yes to the screening questions or have a temperature of 100.4* or higher will be asked to reappoint.
- Please understand that if a parent wishes to come into the office he/she should also wear a mask and will be asked health screening questions and have his/her temperature checked. The parent will be asked to wait in the waiting room and only enter the operatory when invited by our clinical personnel.
- Our waiting room temporarily will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys, video games or have an operational sign-in computer since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect between patients.
- Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing as well as more extensive infection control between patients. Unfortunately, this might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment. We will work to accommodate everyone as best we can.
We look forward to seeing you soon 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. We will be contacting you soon to schedule your appointment(s).
We value your trust in Simi Orthodontics!
Sincerely,
All of us at Simi Orthodontics