05/08/2020
A LETTER TO OUR PATIENTS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Fuqua Advanced Dental will resume seeing patients again on Monday, May 11, with limitations and accommodations to fit mandates set by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners.
As always, infection control is a top priority for our practice. In addition to following the current guidelines, our office also follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Here is what you can expect on your next visit.
Prior to coming into office:
• You MUST inform us if you or someone you have come in contact with has tested positive for COVID-19. We do NOT have a positive pressure, air tight, isolation room in order to safely treat anyone.
• If you are not feeling well for ANY reason, please do NOT come into the office, just call to reschedule.
Measures we have put into place to help protect our patients and staff:
• Our office will communicate with you before your appointment to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked the same questions when you arrive at the office.
• There will be NO waiting in the reception room. When we are ready for your arrival, you will be taken straight back to treatment room. This will ensure necessary social distancing.
• We have hand sanitizer throughout the office and disinfecting soap to wash your hands upon arrival.
• Everyone’s temperature will be taken upon arrival to the office with a touchless thermometer.
• Our waiting room will no longer offer magazines or other items, to decrease the chance of spreading germs, since those items are hard to disinfect.
• Appointments will be spread out to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
• We will only allow one parent of a child or person transporting an elderly patient to accompany that patient to the office, and they too MUST be wearing a mask. We must limit the amount of people in the office in order to maintain the best safety precautions.
• Front desk will soon have a clear barrier to reduce virus spread.
• We have purchased pens that you may use to complete paperwork and then it is yours to keep, decreasing reuse of pens will prevent cross contamination.
• All high touched areas, like door k***s, common surface areas, phones, etc. will be wiped down with disinfected throughout the day.
• As much as we hate to say it, we will NOT be able to shake hands, hug or make any physical contact, exception is when we are fully equipped with our personal protective equipment and providing actual dentistry.
• Our hygienist will NOT be able to utilize the ultrasonic scaler, as it causes too much aerosol. So, there will only be hand-scaling and polishing.
• We will be wearing regular masks at all times while in the office.
• During treatment we will be wearing KN-95 masks, regular masks over that, gloves, eye protection, disposable gown and possible face shields.
• Our entire team will have temperatures checked twice a day.
• We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting.
Here is what we need you to do to protect yourself, your family and our team:
• You will be asked to call our office once you arrive in the parking lot to see if we are ready for you to come up into the office. You may be asked to wait in your car until the treatment room is available.
• Every patient MUST wear a mask into the office and use that mask before and after being treated.
• You will be asked to use hand sanitizer when you first enter the office or wash your hands as soon as you arrive.
• If someone is accompanying a patient to the office, they must wait in the car until the patient is finished with their appointment, unless it is a very young patient that requires a parent to be with them at all times. This is a required safety precaution.
• You will be asked to swish with a pre-rinse prior to treatment to decrease the bacteria before we begin treatment.
• After you have been into our office, PLEASE report back to us if you have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 within 14 days of seeing us.
Southlake Town Square has implemented the following to keeping patrons safe:
• Signage will remind people to remain six feet apart for social distancing.
• Housekeeping will be wiping down common, high touch areas (like handrails, door k***s, elevator buttons, etc.) throughout the day.
• Southlake will police frequent the square to minimize gatherings.
• Installing touch-free and automatic items, wherever possible.
We request your patience as we are all going through challenging times. We want to provide the safest environment as possible for you, your family, our staff and our families. Thank you for your trust and loyalty. We look forward to welcoming you back into our office!
Sincerely,
Drs. Steven & Tonya Fuqua and Staff
