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Dear XXXXX.

COVID-19 has been a very difficult time for all of us. Many of you have been forced to wait for dental care, and we deeply appreciate your understanding while we kept our office closed to help control the spread of the coronavirus.

We are happy to say that we are gradually opening Birch Lake Dental!

Your health and well-being continue to be our highest priority, and we are ONLY opening because we have carefully planned and revised our office procedures to greatly minimize the risk of infection for our patients and our team members. Our own families are also patients here, so you can be assured that we’ll be taking care of you, just as well as we’ll be taking care of them.

The COVID‐19 virus is a serious and highly contagious disease. The World Health Organization has classified it as a pandemic. You could contract COVID‐19 from a variety of sources. Our practice wants to ensure you are aware of the risks of contracting COVID‐19 while receiving dental care.

You may see changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these modifications to help protect our patients and staff. For example:

• We will be requiring an email address and a cell phone number so that the doctor may easily communicate with you.

•  Please check your temperature before leaving your home. If it is over 100 please call the clinic.

• All patients and guardians are requested to wear a mask prior to entering the clinic.

• Patients will use hand sanitizer upon arrival and before leaving the office.

• 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.

• Patients/Guardian “Check -In” from their car upon arrival at the office-please call the clinic at 6514290404. We are working on a way to text as well.

• The Patient/Guardian will wait in the car until the office calls the patient into the office. ONLY patients will be allowed entry into the clinic. Parents and other family members will be asked to wait outside.

• Minor children (under the age of 18) will be escorted to the office door by the parent/guardian and “Hand-Off” their minor child to the dental auxiliary at the door. We request you remain available in your car during your child’s appointment.

• Patients will be screened BEFORE entering the office and temperatures will be checked. Any patients showing signs of a fever or other symptoms of illness will be asked to reschedule their appointment.

• Patients (over the age of 10) will be required to pre-rinse with hydrogen peroxide prior to treatment.

• Upon completion of the dental service, the patient’s parent/guardian will be notified by phone to come to the side door.

• The patient will be “Handed-Off” to their parent/guardian who is outside by the door and not in the office.

• No toothbrushes, paste, goodie bags, etc will be given out.

• Post-op directions will be emailed or texted.

• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment. If you are late to your appointment we might have to reschedule.

• There will be no physical contact with patients with the exception of treatment.

• If a payment is required, the patient will be required to make payment prior to appointment either over the phone or via email payment link.

• We will ask that you continue to practice social distancing measures in common areas

• All rooms are COMPLETELY sterilized before each patient is seated, and public areas, including restrooms, will be cleaned and sterilized frequently throughout the day.

• The office is equipped with a MERV 13 hospital grade HEPA air filter, UV light air treatment system and an IWaveair purification unit. We have had the air flow and quality tested and will continually monitor.

• We use a special continuous high vacuum suction apparatus during your treatment that collects 90%+ of aerosols generated minimizing risk.

• Our team will STRICTLY follow guidelines set forth by the CDC, OSHA, and ADA in regards to personal protective equipment (PPE) and office sterilization.

• The clinic temperature will be a lot cooler than normal due to the amount of PPE’s we have to wear as providers. Please dress accordingly. We will NOT be able to provide you with a blanket as we had in the past.

We are proceeding with an abundance of caution, but we want you to feel as confident as we do that any visit you make to our office will be a safe one.

We also realize that many of you have been impacted financially during this outbreak, and we are offering some solutions to keep dental care affordable for you and your family. To discuss these payment options please call the office and speak to Mary.

We are all doing the best we can to deliver the utmost superior care to you and your loved ones.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely, Dr. Geetha Damodaran, Dr. Fish and the staff at Birch Lake Dental