A Note About
Coronavirus
March 17, 2020
Hello again;
This afternoon we received guidance from the Health Department that, due to the escalating outbreak of COVID-19 viral infections and an impending shortage of Personal Protective supplies at urgent care facilities, all dental offices must suspend normal operations and focus on urgent care and emergencies only. I trust the Health Department and we are eager to support the community with these goals.
Therefore, tomorrow, Wednesday March 18, we will be closed to business as usual until further notice, with exceptions for true dental emergencies such as pain and infection. We will be wrapping up a few “projects in progress” on a case by case basis as the week winds down, you should already know if you are in this category.
I have directed Julie and Val at our front desk to begin canceling patient visits that we consider routine, such as appointments with the hygienist and non-painful restorative dentistry like fillings and crowns. They have started calling people based on the calendar, so if you have not received a call about appointments in the future yet please allow them to catch up to you, they are VERY BUSY with this important task.
These calls are cancellations without rescheduling, since we really do not know how long this will be in effect. However, I want you to know that if we are canceling your appointment that you are not forgotten. We are keeping a detailed list of cancelations and you are our highest priority when the office resumes normal operation. We are making plans for extended service hours and adding personnel when the Health Department feels it is safe again to do so. We will do everything in our power to get you in for your routine care as soon as possible.
A few housekeeping items.
- I assure you that we will continue to be available for emergency appointments. If you are unsure what exactly constitutes an emergency, please call and we can help determine an initial diagnosis over the phone.
- In addition to calling the office and leaving a message, my personal cell phone number is on our answering service at the office, you should be able to reach me and at least leave a message. I typically respond within the hour.
- Please do not come into the office, even if you are in the area and driving by. We may not be there, and if we are, we are not expecting drop-ins. If you would like to contact us, use the phone and let us discuss the situation with you first. If you need an appointment we can discuss it over the phone and get prepared for you at an arranged time during the week. If you have payments you’d like to make you can send us a check in the mail or call with a credit card.
Let’s all do our part to slow down the spread of this outbreak. As always our office is here to support you the best we can. Don’t hesitate to call with questions.
Kind regards,
Randle T. Carr, DDS