Our Reopening is June 1st!
Dear Patient Family, We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health given the challenges of the past few months. We are very excited to announce the (slow and steady) reopening of our office beginning tomorrow, June 1st! As we reopen, we will prioritize those patients with urgent needs and disease first, and continue working to get everyone in as soon as possible. Initially, it may take us a month or two to get back up to speed. In the meantime, we wanted to take a moment to send you relevant information regarding how we will be moving forward to provide the safest, most comfortable dental office environment possible. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety. Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice. Our infection control processes were put into place so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable. We follow recommendations made by the American Dental Association, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We will continue to follow these agencies to remain up-to-date on new guidance that may be issued, as we’re learning new information all the time. As such, you will notice some big changes when it is time for your next appointment. We have made these changes to help protect both our patients and staff:
As our waiting room is fairly small, we have decided it is safest for everyone to close it until further notice. This means we will ask you to wait in your car until it’s time for you to enter a treatment room. Please call the front desk at 734-677-2156 when you arrive to check-in.
The use of face masks while in the office is now mandatory for both patients and staff. Please note that we cannot provide dental services to those who choose not to cover. If your child is being treated, both you and your child must wear masks.
Masks must be worn until you are seated in the chair and treatment has begun.
Please be sure to brush and floss before your appointment. The patient lavatory sink will no longer have toothbrushes and floss available for use in order to reduce the risk of virus transmission via saliva. The bathroom will also be wiped down after every use.
Please do not bring additional family members with you to your appointment. This means if you are a parent being treated, we will not allow children in the office with you unless they are being treated, too.
Additionally, if your child is being seen, we can only allow one parent or guardian to accompany them. Adults may choose to stay with them in the treatment room if wearing a mask, or wait in their car, and one of our staff members will walk your child back to you.
Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you arrive at the office, and we will also take your temperature at that time. No one with a fever will be treated and will be sent home.
Additionally, all office staff will have their temperatures taken at the beginning and end of each shift, and will be wearing additional PPE as an added precaution. This includes disposable gowns, caps, face shields and N95 masks.
Because wearing additional PPE can feel very hot, we will be turning up our air conditioning to ensure the comfort of our staff. Please consider this and dress for a cooler-than-normal indoor temperature; we can no longer use blankets.
Treatment rooms have been curtained off to help curtail the spread of normal aerosols that are the result of dental treatment. Each room has also been outfitted with air purifiers.
Appointments will be managed to allow for as much social distancing between patients as possible. That might mean that you are offered fewer options in terms of certain days or times.
We are also allowing for more time in between appointments so as to minimize the number of patients in the office at a time, and in order to ensure thorough sterilization/cleaning of treatment rooms and common areas.
We will have hand sanitizer readily available and ask that you use it when you enter the office; we also will have it throughout the office to use as needed.
Co-pays must be made over the phone prior to your appointment to enable appropriate social distancing. You may also mail a check.
We recommend that you make your next appointment with your hygienist or dental assistant at the end of your treatment as we expect to be booking up fast for the remainder of the year as we try to get everyone back on the schedule. This will help ensure you are able to be seen when it is most convenient. Otherwise, you may email or call us. The front desk will not be booking appointments in person.
Please note that we have also been advised to avoid the use of ultrasonics and nitrous oxide for the first 30 days post-reopening.
Additionally, the Michigan Dental Association has developed some excellent resources for patients during this time, including this helpful infographic:
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 while in our office. Simply give us a call at 734-677-2156, send us an email, or use our website's contact form. Thank you for being our patient, and for your patience through this crisis. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back all of our patients, neighbors and friends. Sincerely, Dr. Shannon Norman-Kotre + Team