I have a dentist appointment tomorrow, here's what they emailed

[Skittles]

Hi Skittles

Given the current circumstances, we wanted to assure you before your appointment that we are taking the utmost care and closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation.

We hold ourselves to the highest standards of care and cleanliness. We have implemented the following measures in addition to maintaining our excellent sanitation and personal protective equipment protocols:

1. If you have any symptoms of respiratory illness, fever, cough, shortness of breath, or live with anyone with these symptoms, please call us and stay home.
2. We ask that all non-essential family stays at home or waits in their vehicle during appointments to limit the number of visitors to the office.
3. If you prefer to wait in your car, you may request to be called when your operatory is ready.
4. We unfortunately will discontinue handshakes for the time being but please know we are still excited to see you!
5. We will be disinfecting/sanitizing high traffic areas regularly throughout the day (i.e. door handles, counters, pens, payment terminals, restrooms, etc).
6. We will continue our normal practice of following universal precautions: after every patient, the operatory is completely disinfected, all instruments are sterilized, and our team will wear appropriate protective equipment such as masks and gloves.
7. Hand sanitizer will be provided to you as well as anti-viral mouthwash prior to beginning treatment.
8. Coffee, cups, and magazine have been removed from our reception room.

We are committed to taking care of you and your families and will see you soon.

[dalton99a]

1. Solid policy

[forgotmylogin]

48. Just got back from my Mom's pain specialist appointment.

They have very similar rules posted. I especially like "don't arrive more than 5 minutes early, and please have family members wait in the car". Packing that tiny waiting room would be bad news.

[riversedge]

2. You have a caring dentist.

[True Blue American]

15. Mine called

I cancelled. They said they did not blame me.

[hlthe2b]

4. I hope the staff are wearing more than masks and gloves--at least full face masks.

tyvek gowns would be indicated as well.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. I got that email yesterday, almost word for word. Today they changed things and are closed except

for emergency cases.

[Skittles]

12. ooh

I really, really need this appointment; tail end of a year long fix.

I am assuming they are receiving guidance from a dental association of some sort so I can understand a repeated script.

[jayschool2013]

20. I'm in the same boat

It has been more than a year coming, and this is the last step. I spoke to the dentist directly and got the same assurances. I will be the only patient in the entire office during my one-hour appointment.

[Skittles]

21. I'm currently using an invisalign with a fake tooth

I cannot eat with that thing so I have not been out to dinner for over a year and now that I will finally get my new tooth....well, I will not beef about it, knowing that some folk are going through CHEMO

[samnsara]

30. i have Invisalines!! No you cant eat with them in and how can I not..

..touch my face when I have to have my entire hand in my mouth several times a day? And I have an appt for my permanent retainer Thursday..after 32 weeks of not being able to eat or talk without spitting for 32 weeks.

[Skittles]

37. I can commiserate

yes indeed.....I really have to see my dentist!

[Stinky The Clown]

26. I would bet anything the "script" is from the American Dental Association

Not a bad thing, just a fact.

[Rorey]

6. And here I thought that Skittles was just a screen name

My hygienist has her patients use an ozone rinse at the beginning. I have mixed feelings about that. I studied up on ozone last year when I had an incident in one of my rental houses, and ultimately purchased a machine. I definitely tasted the ozone in the rinse.

It sounds like they're being as careful as they can be at your dentist's office. Will you be keeping the appointment?

[SWBTATTReg]

7. Good. I had flu/cold earlier this year, rescheduled my dental appt., and then my back went out ...

(I have a bad back, sitting in the dentist chair doesn't help). I finally went early last week, and they were all dressed up in their protective gear as usual, no worries. I wasn't worried either, so it was nice, and got all the dental work done as scheduled. At no time, when I called (I have a cold, blah, blah, blah), I had no pushback, no charges for missed appointments, etc. I, like you, have a wonderful dentist.

[Alpeduez21]

8. That's weird they knew your DU name

[Skittles]

10. heh

[gratuitous]

17. She left off the office's PS

"Please don't kick our asses."

[blitzen]

9. Louisiana: Dental offices must close for 30 days starting tomorrow...

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/coronavirus/article_23eb1248-686a-11ea-a47f-1b8497eae11b.html

[frazzled]

11. If it's not essential, I would postpone

Here in Illinois, dentist visits, except for real emergencies, are being discouraged

Many dental offices across the state may stop seeing patients this week except for emergency cases , following a recommendation from the Illinois State Dental Society.

The society issued a recommendation Sunday night urging Illinois dentists to treat only patients who need emergency procedures between Tuesday and March 31 to help limit the spread COVID-19.

... Dentists are considered a high risk group for contracting and transmitting the illness because some of the tools they use, such as a device that sprays water, can create an aerosol through which the illness could potentially spread, Boghosian said.

I canceled a badly needed haircut appointment. But why risk it when I’m not seeing anyone anyway?

[ProfessorGAC]

18. My Dentist Is Open

I drove by earlier & no cars in the spot where staff parks.
Figured they bagged appointments for now.
Went by a bit ago to drop mail into drive by box. Saw 2 patient cars & one guy driving up.
We're only 57 miles from downtown Chicago, so it's not quite the boondocks.

[Skittles]

19. well

my particular situation has been going on for about a year now (implant re-done after bone implant)....I am sooooo ready for the permanent tooth

[hlthe2b]

13. Many states are requiring dentists to close except for essential procedures that can not wait

sans severe risk to the patient.

[samnsara]

31. yeah but ortodontist...these things ( invisalines) are so precise you cant wait..

...for the adjustments or it will start to over correct. They call 2 days ahead so I will get the reminder call tomorrow. If the waiting room is full of kids I will just it on the little bench out front..they can come get me.

[barbtries]

14. thanks for reminding me

i got an email from the vet yesterday and am not certain whether I'm to remain in my car or not. it looked a lot like yours.
I've also heard from virtually every one of my caregivers whether for human or not. My periodontist sent an email but regular dentist not yet.

[Chainfire]

16. I haven't figured out

how to isolate and go to the dentist at the same time. I cancelled my cleaning appointment. Too many people coming and going all day for me.

If you look at a Coronavirus map of Florida, you will see that there is about a 350 mile x 75 mile area across the top of state that has no cases at all. That includes Tallahassee (where my dentist is) Tallahassee has two universities and a very large Jr. College, with kids from all over the country and the world. The reason there is no cases in this swath of Florida is because there is no damn testing!

We are in deep red country and we are taking care of Donald's numbers....

[Silver Gaia]

22. My dentist canceled all appointments.

[Raine]

23. A couple weeks after having my teeth cleaned a chunk fell out of a tooth

near the front while I was bushing. I was going to go in this week to get it fixed but decided not to. I guess I'll wait till things settle down before calling. My dentist sees lots bof patients and people in this area do lots of international travel. It's just not worth the risk and its not like I'm going anywhere that my teeth will be noticed by others.

[progree]

24. "cough" - as an ex-smoker (I quit 22 years ago) - I still cough now and then..

Last edited Tue Mar 17, 2020, 05:31 PM - Edit history (1)

sometimes a series of 3 or 4 coughs. Well serves me right I guess.

1. If you have any symptoms of respiratory illness, fever, cough, shortness of breath, or live with anyone with these symptoms, please call us and stay home.

And on the "non-essential" and "emergency only" that some people are reporting upthread -- well, a regular cleaning may not be an emergency or essential, but if put off too long ... periodontal disease and tooth decay can and are very expensive and time-consuming to treat. (I have periodontal disease that is kept in check by hygienist cleanings every 3 months plus about 15 minutes/night at home of extensive brush-floss-proxy brush fore and aft and then fluoride, plus midday regular brushing). So I'm worried that my April 27 cleaning appointment will be "non-essentialized".

[getagrip_already]

35. Yeah, I will sometimes get sneezing fits out of the blue...

Clear nose before and after, but I'll sneeze 6-8 times rapid fire. It's likely just an allergic reaction to something, but I can't help it when it happens.

I'm sure someone will call 911 on me if it happens in public again.

[greatauntoftriplets]

25. I had a doctor appointment today.

Arrived there and someone in a nearby car told us to wait there and someone would come out to get it. The system worked very well. Plus, I didn't have to sit in the waiting room and watch Fox.

[lagomorph777]

29. If my doctor was a Fux watcher, I'd find another doctor.

I prefer to put my life in sane hands.

[Skittles]

36. same

I could not trust a doctor or dentist who watched Faux News.

[lagomorph777]

38. I walked out of a dentist office for that reason.

[AdamGG]

39. Me too, but I live in Mass. and no doctor/dentist here would play that in their office

It's unlikely the doctor would like it and even if they did, they know they'd lose patients.

[samnsara]

27. i have an orthodontist appt thursday and friday...allll those kids!!

[lagomorph777]

28. My spouse might need emergency dentistry shortly.

I wish we had dentists like that around here.

[CTyankee]

32. I should be getting one soon from my dentist. I am scheduled for a cleaning which I really need.

I'll do the wait in the car thing. His office is tiny.

[Liberty Belle]

33. I saw my chiropractor and massage therapist today.

They disinfected treatment tables between treatments and said they have cleansed the whole office top to bottom, even the baseboards before opening today.

They still had a fairly brisk business but are concerned they could be ordered to shut down as this goes on. Hope not; for many this is much-needed pain relief.

[beaglelover]

34. I was supposed to have a cleaning on Friday, they called yesterday to cancel.

My dentist is in L.A. across the street from Cedars Sinai.

[rzemanfl]

40. Skittles, whoever wrote that doesn't know how to use i.e., and e.g.,....

It does sound like they are doing their best.

[Skittles]

43. yeah, I know

I'm trying to suppress my grammar-Nazi tendencies during these times.

[rzemanfl]

44. Grammar-Nazisim is a break from thinking about

the shit show. Stay safe and well.

[Aristus]

41. The dental clinic where my wife works is still open.

She hasn't been there for over two weeks due to being ill, but they're still plugging away.

She called Governor Inslee's office today, asking him to order the dental clinic shut down for all but emergencies. I wonder what will happen.

[mainer]

42. Dentists are the highest risk workers of all

They should probably cancel all non-emergent appointments. I face the same dilemma as I have a cracked tooth and need a crown, but it’s not painful atthe moment and I can wait.

[lunatica]

45. It's reassuring to get these messages isn't it?

I was wondering about receiving packages of things I buy online and UPS sent an email like this.

I get my groceries delivered and worried a bit until I received an email from them.

It all helps to allay fears.

[dai13sy]

46. Awesome

Being very responsible and proactive from waiting in the car to their sterilization program. I want them to be my dentist

[PuppyBismark]

47. Dentist in Ohio are closed per the governor

I had an appointment in two weeks. Just have to wait.

[pansypoo53219]

49. my aunt's cleaning postponed.

[colsohlibgal]

50. Had A Dentist Appointment Yesterday

Did get an email from them that they were closing for a few weeks. But it quickly got a text from my Dentist telling me to come on in.....as I was having a temporary crown replaced with a permanent one. So I assume most dentists will proceed the same way.

Now it is free time galore. My tennis facility closed for two weeks and my guess is that will be extended. I can solo quite well though, have books to read, DVDs galore, about as many cable channels as possible.