Open - Please read

Dear Patients:
As you may know, dentists may now see patients again with certain additional requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE), barriers, air quality, and social distancing. We have worked hard to meet (and will exceed where possible) those standards and are now open.
The safety of my patients and staff is my prime concern as we reopen and look after you. We have started calling people in. We are triaging everyone so don’t worry, we will get to you. If you have a problem, just call us so we can adjust your position on the list.
Below is some information on the new safety precautions we are taking and how your next visit may look.

• Our staff will be wearing PPE appropriate for the tasks they are performing. For example, for aerosol generating procedures we will be wearing gowns, face shields, N95 masks covered by surgical masks, hair coverings and gloves.
• Operatories where aerosols are generated will be sealed off. New tempered glass doors and barriers have been installed
• Operatories where aerosol generating procedures may be performed have “Surgically Clean Air” machines which filter the air to 99.9% virus free within minutes. The next patient and our staff will be safe. The time between patients depends on the capacity of the machines. We will not use the room again until it is safe. Our appointments will be booked around these times.
• A plexiglass shield has been installed at the reception desk.
• There will be fewer chairs in the waiting room, and each chair will be spaced apart to allow social distancing.
• We will limit the number of people who enter the office. Only one caregiver per patient or one parent or care giver per child (no siblings) will be permitted in the office. There are no toys and no magazines so please bring your own entertainment with you if required.
• You must arrive early, call us from your car at 613-224-3900. We will let you know when to come up. Please arrive wearing your own face mask or face covering (like a scarf).
• When booking your appointment, we will ask you Covid-19 related screening questions.
• When you arrive, you will be asked screening questions again, your temperature will be taken with a touchless infrared thermometer and then you will apply hand sanitizer. You will then be asked to sign the Patient Acknowledgement of Covid-19 Risk Sheet. This will be posted on our website www.dentalclinicottawa.com so you can read it in advance. Once in the treatment room, you will be asked to remove your face covering and rinse with a 1.5 % peroxide rinse. After treatment, you will put your face covering back on.
• There will be a surcharge to account for the greatly increased cost of PPE as a result of Covid 19. There are new insurance codes provided for PPE for non aerosol generating procedures and aerosol generating procedures. At this time, we do not know if insurance companies will cover these codes. You may want to call your insurance company to find out. As well, there will be an increase of $7.00 per visit for a period of time to cover the costs of the physical changes and other increased protective measures made to the office as a result of Covid-19. This is not covered by insurance.
• Early morning appointments will now be going to Covid-19 vulnerable populations, such as those who are immunocompromised, diabetics, people on dialysis or those who have severe cardiovascular disease or cancer, or are over 60
• If you (or your care giver accompanying you) have been out of the country or to other epicentres (e.g. Toronto or Montreal) within 14 days of your appointment, or, if you have been in contact with someone who has or who has tested positive for Covid-19, please inform us as soon as possible prior to your appointment and do not come to the office. We will re-book your appointment.
• If you become positive for Covid or have contact with someone who has, within 14 days of your visit to our office, please contact us and Public Health.
• In all of our policies and decisions, we will be guided by Ontario Public Health and The Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario.

I will be in the office Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday afternoon and evening and Thursday. Dr Vichos will also be working on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Hygiene appointments are now possible. In the beginning, cleanings will involve hand scaling only. Once we obtain an adequate supply of the N95 masks, which are scarce, and after the rooms have been equipped with individual air filtration (Surgically Clean Air), our hygienists will be able to resume using the cavitron, prophy jet and rubber cup prophylaxis. It is important to understand that cavitrons save a lot of time, and therefore your cleaning with hand scalers will likely take longer than before and therefore more units of scaling will be used per visit. As well, some deeper pockets just can’t be cleaned as well with hand scalers as with the fine cavitron tips. For people with heavy stain, it may not be possible to get all of the stain off without the prophyjet. Our hygienists will do their best in the hour they have for you.

We appreciate patients not increasing our risk of contracting Covid-19. Please do your part, wash your hands frequently, clean commonly touched surfaces often, cough into your sleeve and wear a mask in public. Maintain social distance and do whatever the public health authorities tell you to do so we all can get back to normal sooner.

Stay home, stay safe, and let’s all get through this safely.

Sincerely
Valerie Archibald