May 2020
Dear Patient,
We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through a great deal over the last few months and we are all looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, our commitment to your safety and well-being remains our priority.
For that reason, we have invested in and installed infection control equipment and implemented protocols that not only meet, but exceed the recommendations of the American Dental Association® (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Specifically, we have upgraded our ventilation system and added the use of ultraviolet light in order to sterilize the air before, during and after your appointment. We will be utilizing auxiliary high-speed suction units placed directly above your mouth, which are equipped with HEPA filtration and UV light sterilization to capture aerosols produced during all procedures. Any understandable concerns regarding UV light can be put to rest, as we have done extensive research on the devices we have purchased and can confirm that all UV emissions are contained and out of harm’s way. Finally, all team members will be wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) which, although not required to be so, has been individually fit-tested to ensure that nothing can be transmitted from us to you, or vice-versa. Of course, we always have been and will continue to be vigilant in following the activity of health agencies so that we can remain current on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued.
You can expect further changes at your next appointment. We have made the following changes to help protect you and our team members:
- Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask screening questions. You will be asked those same questions again once you arrive at the office.
- Financing arrangements for treatment will be addressed at the time you schedule your appointment. Payment will be due upon arrival, following screening and prior to your entry into the office. We have been forced to charge a $10 fee to cover the costs of personal protective equipment (PPE) for our team, which will be added to your treatment fees.
- We ask that you wait in your car until invited into the office by a staff member.
- When entering the office, please wear a mask.
- Kindly come to your appointment unaccompanied unless prior arrangements have been made with our office.
- You will be asked to wash your hands and wear gloves, which we will provide to you.
- We will take your temperature upon your arrival.
- We have hand sanitizer throughout the office, reception area and other places for you to use as needed.
- You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and superfluous items, as they are difficult to clean and disinfect.
- Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. This means that we may have to offer fewer options for scheduling your appointment
- We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time and to allow the disinfection of treatment areas.
We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we are taking to keep you and every patient safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at (610) 363-6660 or request an appointment through our website.
We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors and friends.
Sincerely,
Ted and your Lionville Family Dentistry Team
