To our valued patients and friends,

June 1, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a very difficult time for all of us. Many of you have been forced to wait for dental care, and we deeply appreciate your understanding while we kept our office closed to help control the spread of the virus. We are happy to say that we are planning to reopen our office for patient treatment on Monday, June 8, 2020. We will have modified hours during the first two weeks of opening but will intend to resume extended hours starting June 22, 2020. Our modified hours of operation for the first two weeks will be as follows:

June 8-10: 8:30AM-5:00PM
June 11: 8:30AM-2:00PM
June 15-17: 8:30AM-5:00PM
June 18, 19: 8:30AM-2:00PM

During our initial phase of reopening, we understand that many of you are overdue for cleanings and have outstanding treatment. We understand your desire to get in to see us as soon as possible and we want the same. As we work hard to accommodate everyone’s needs and desires, we ask that you be patient as we do our very best to make appointments for everyone as soon as we can. As I am sure you can understand, there is an incredible backlog of patients that require appointments. We will do all that we can to get everyone in as soon as we can. One of our objectives in scheduling appointments during this time is to allow for social distancing between patients. As a result, it may mean fewer options for scheduling your appointment. We appreciate your understanding.

Your health and well-being continue to be our highest priority, and we are ONLY opening because we have carefully planned and revised our office procedures to greatly minimize the risk of infection for our patients and our team members. Our own families are also patients here, so you can be assured that we will take care of you just well as we would take care of them. While many things have changed, one thing remains the same: our commitment to your safety.

For your peace of mind, the measures we will be taking to provide a safe dental treatment experience include, but are not limited to, the following:

Prior to Arrival at the Office

  1. We will conduct a phone screening of your recent health history/exposure potential 24-48 hours prior to your visit
  2. We will require you to fill out a pre-screening questionnaire up to one hour prior to your appointment.

Upon Your Arrival at the Office

  • You will be asked to notify us upon arrival in the parking lot (via call or text) and to wait in your car until your scheduled appointment time. We will notify you when we are ready for you to enter the office.
  • All individuals entering the office will be screened upon entering the office. Temperatures and pulse-oximetry readings will be taken. Any individuals showing signs of a fever or other symptoms of illness will be asked to reschedule their appointment.
  • ONLY patients will be allowed entry into the office. Parents and other family members will be asked to wait outside whenever possible.
  • If it is necessary to wait in the waiting area, chairs will be spaced apart to allow for 6 feet of distancing.
  • All individuals entering the office will be required to wear a mask and will be asked to use hand sanitizer upon entering
  • There will be no physical contact with patients with the exception of treatment.
  • Patients will be escorted directly to the treatment room for care.

During Treatment

  • Our infection control procedures have always exceeded federal guidelines. Our office protocols have always followed strict standard precautions. As a result, we have easily adapted to any and all new requirements and recommendations set forth by OSHA, the CDC and the ADA.
  • As before, all rooms will be COMPLETELY sterilized before each patient is seated.
  • Public areas, including restrooms, will be cleaned and sterilized frequently throughout the day.
  • All treatment rooms have been equipped with high-volume air filtration and purification units. The units are capable of removing particles smaller than COVID-19 viruses.
  • Our team will STRICTLY follow guidelines set forth by the CDC, OSHA, and ADA regarding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and office sterilization with fidelity. We may look a little different than we have in the past!
  • All contact surfaces will be wiped with EPA approved List N disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2.

Checking Out After Your Appointment

  • Clear barriers will be in place at the front desk.
  • After every transaction, the checkout desk and glass will be wiped with a disinfectant.
  • Patients requiring use of a pen will be given a pen to use and keep.
  • As before, patients will receive text and/or email confirmations of any future appointments made.
  • Patients will be asked to use hand sanitizer again when leaving the office.

We are proceeding with an abundance of caution, but we want you to feel as confident as we do that any visit you make to our office will be a safe one. We are excited about all of the positive changes that we have made to ensure your safety. Our team has been working diligently to prepare for our re-opening and we are all confident that you will be both comforted and impressed by our efforts.

We look forward to seeing you soon! For more information and COVID-19 FAQs, please visit our website at www.drmartinodentist.com

Sincerely,

Robert J. Martino, DDS & Allison C. Sceppaguercio, DMD

PS You may want to bring a sweater with you to your appointment, it’s going to be a little chilly in the office.