Dear Patients,

We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through alot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety.

Our office is officially allowed to open on May 8, following our governor’s orders. After much consideration and discernment, we have decided to proceed with a slow phase-in approach. We understand that there will be offices going back to work ‘as usual” but nothing about this pandemic has been “usual”. Even though we are a small business, we are first and foremost, a healthcare facility. The safety of our patients, employees and doctors is our top priority. Please know that every decision we will make has your optimal health at heart. Please be patient as we move through our phase-in approach and the coming months.

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued. We do this to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to each agencies’ recommendations. While our office complies and exceeds all these guidelines, to prevent the spread of Covid-19, we cannot make any guarantees. Our staff are symptom free and to the best of their knowledge, have not been exposed to the virus. However, since we are a place of public accommodation, other persons (including other patients) could be infected, with or without their knowledge. In order to lower the risk of unintentional exposure, you will see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and employees. For example:

• Whole office air purification systems will be added to our office.
• New evacuation systems in all hygiene rooms will be added to decrease aerosol production and ultrasonic instruments will be limited or not used at all.
• Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You will be asked those same questions again when you arrive at our office.
• We will ask you to stay in your car until your provider is ready to see you.
• We will take your temperature at your car and will ask that you wear a mask into our office (please bring your own) and use hand sanitizer.
• You will notice that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, coffee, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
• Plexiglass will be added at the patient check out area
• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. Thank you for being our patient. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors, and friends!

Sincerely,

Brad & Stacy Forrest and Team