Dear Patients and Friends,
We hope this letter finds you and your loved ones in good health. The Illinois Department of Public Health has recently released a statement that we can resume providing routine dental care. We want to update you on our office and the steps we are taking to ensure we do everything possible to keep you and our team healthy.
Our official scheduled re-open date will be on Monday, June 1st, 2020
While our office has been closed we have been very busy staying up to date with all guidance from the Illinois Department of Health, CDC, ADA, CDS and OSHA. With these changes, some things will look and feel a little different at the office as we adjust to our new normal. We ask for your patience during this transition. We will be following scheduling protocols and office measures to ensure the safety and well being of our patients and staff. Our office procedures have temporarily changed and will include the following:
SCHEDULING:
- There will be a limited number of appointments in order to maintain social distancing and practice proper infection control.
- Urgent and emergency treatment will be prioritized.
- Please do not call to schedule visits until after June 1st. We will be calling on a first-canceled, first-rescheduled basis in order to accommodate all of the appointments previously canceled.
- Please fill out the Health Screening Form and bring it with you. If you forget, we have copies in the office. But it will save time if you bring it.
VISITS:
- When you arrive for your appointment, please stay in your car. Call the office at 847-675-3368 upon your arrival, and we will let you know when you can come in for your appointment
- Only the patient that is being treated will be allowed to enter the office. For our young or anxious patients, only one parent/caregiver may accompany the patient into the office. Absolutely no other family members or friends will be allowed in the office.
- Please bring your own mask/face covering and wear it to your appointment. It is a state of Illinois and Skokie mandate to wear a mask when entering an essential business when social distancing may not be possible.
- Patient and caregiver’s temperatures will be taken. If your temperature is over 100.4 F, you will be asked to reschedule your appointment after 14 days.
- We will also check your SpO2 level which indicates your oxygen saturation level, using a pulse oximeter.
- A COVID-19 screening will be sent to every patient prior to scheduled appointment. Any question indicating recent exposure to someone with COVID-19 or having signs and symptoms of the same will be asked to reschedule.
- All team-members including the doctors will undergo the same screening as patients daily.
- Cellular phones and purses are not allowed in the treatment areas. We will provide a secure place in the office to leave these items.
- Patients will be requested to use hand sanitizer and rinse with Listerine. This helps decrease the bacteria in the working environment.
- There will be no toys or magazines in the office.
- Wear your mask and maintain the 6-foot social distancing guidelines when in office until seated in chair.
- There will be no tooth brushing in the office, please brush prior to the appointment.
We have taken a lot of time to study the best ways to keep the bacteria load to a minimum to help our patients, staff and families. We have air purification machines which help to turn around the air in the office every 15-20 minutes. We have installed an extraoral evacuation system which will keep the bacteria that is released into the air during procedures that produce an aerosol to a minimum. We have procured a system to “fog” the operatiories in between procedures to eliminate any bacteria or viruses in the air and on surfaces. We will be wearing a higher level of personal protective equipment. We will sanitize the entire office with ozone every night which again kills all bacteria and viruses. Plastic barriers have been installed at the front desk to keep you safe.
Your health and safety is our number one concern and we are doing everything possible to keep us all safe and healthy.
We are so grateful for every one of you and have missed you! We can’t wait to see everyone’s smiles! If you have any questions, please feel free to call our office.
Sincerely,
Steven Krauss and Staff
This newsletter/website is not intended to replace the services of a doctor. It does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship. Information in this newsletter/website is for informational purposes only & is not a substitute for professional advice. Please do not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating any condition.