Dear McBride Orthodontics patients and parents,
We have been given clearance by Governor Abbott and the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners to reopen, and we are BEYOND excited to see everyone’s smiling faces that we have missed so greatly! Much has changed since we last saw you, and we are all coming to grips with the COVID-19 pandemic and the events that it has triggered. We would like to take this opportunity to inform you of the measures we are taking to ensure we are doing everything possible to keep our patients, team, and families safe and healthy.
While our office has been closed, Dr. McBride and team have invested a significant amount of time in becoming up-to-date with the latest infection control guidelines as recommended by the CDC and OSHA. We have upgraded our sterilization equipment and protocols, and have developed operational guidelines that will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
We have been working to reschedule everyone that we were unable to see after the mandated shutdown on March 23. We appreciate your continued patience as we work hard to accommodate everyone at this time. Due to the social distancing guidelines that are in place, we are operating at a limited capacity. We also appreciate your understanding as we adhere to the newly recommended guidelines. We will do everything possible to maintain a timely schedule; however there will be a period of time whereby we are all adapting to the “new normal.” Please note the following changes and procedures when you come for your next visit:
Upon arrival, TEXT your last name to 214-537-8119 to check in and remain in your car. We will text you when your chair is ready.
In efforts to limit the number of people in the building, we ask that only the scheduled patient come inside unless a chaperone is needed. All other individuals are asked to remain in their car.
Please use alcohol-based hand sanitizer upon arrival. We will have this available in our reception area.
We are emailing a supplemental health questionnaire and a supplemental informed consent that must be brought to your next appointment. For your convenience, we will also have forms available at the front desk. Anyone who is sick, or has been exposed to someone who is sick within the last 2 weeks, will be asked to reschedule their appointment.
A forehead temperature will be taken. If the patient has a fever, as defined by a temperature at or above 99.9 degrees, the appointment will need to be rescheduled.
To minimize contact with other patients in the building, we will have everyone circulate the office in a counterclockwise fashion (upon arrival, proceed down the front hallway to the right, and exit down the back hallway).
Our tooth brushing station has temporarily been converted to a hand washing station. Please brush your teeth BEFORE coming to your appointment to prevent aerosols/ spatter.
To respect social distancing measures, we will not be seating patients side-by-side unless they belong to the same family.
Once seated, the patient will be asked to rinse their mouth with a safe 1% hydrogen peroxide rinse to attenuate any active viruses.
Universal precautions were developed in 1996 to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. We have adhered, and will continue to adhere, to these infection control protocols to ensure that instruments are properly sterilized and surfaces are thoroughly disinfected. Our current disinfectants are effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19) as well as many other viruses and bacteria.
Our clinical staff will continue to wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) as recommended by the CDC and OSHA.
An additional note regarding PPE: many of you have heard about N95 masks. The CDC and TSBDE are NOT requiring the use of N95 masks for every dental procedure (the N95 masks, if certified and fit-tested, are mostly reserved for use in hospital settings where there are known COVID-19 positive patients). Rest assured we DO have the proper PPE and will utilize the correct PPE based on the type of procedure we are performing.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office. We love all of you and look forward to seeing you again soon!
Warmly,
Dr. McBride and team