05/06/2020
Update on Studio Dental: Opening on May 11, 2020
We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. We have missed seeing your smiling faces over the last few weeks! While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety. At Studio Dental, the health of our patients and staff is always our top priority. We are working hard to do everything we can to be prepared and address your concerns.
We will be reaching out to all patients, scheduled within the next 30 days, to either confirm or move your current appointment. We ask for your patience as we work through this process. We will make every effort to be in touch with each of you in a timely manner. If you have an urgent dental concern, please call us and we will find a time to fit you in.
As you may know, on April 22, Governor Ducey issued Executive Order 2020-32, allowing healthcare providers (including dentists) to resume elective, non-cosmetic surgeries as of May 1, as long as they have sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE). While we have been closed, we have been working hard on ensuring that when we reopen, we will be able to implement the best practices to keep our patients and staff happy and healthy. In an abundance of caution, we have elected to reopen on Monday, May 11. This additional time will provide more opportunities for our office to implement additional safety protocols and to continue obtaining PPE and other safety measures.
Infection control has always been a top priority for Studio Dental and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable. Our office 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). 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.
You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example:
• In an effort to provide “clinical distancing” your current appointment for dental treatment may need to be moved to a different time or different day. We thank you for your understanding.
• Prior to your appointment, please review the COVID-19 pre-screening questionnaire attached. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office and your temperature will be taken.
- In the event that symptoms are detected by either practice screening or patient self-screening, we are instructing all patients exhibiting symptoms associated with the coronavirus to reschedule their dental appointments.
• We ask that no one accompany the patient to their visit, this will allow us to better practice social and clinical distancing.
• We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you. We also ask that you wait in your car when you arrive for your appointment. We will call you when we are ready to seat you.
• Patients are encouraged to wear bring and wear a mask to their appointment.
• We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will find some in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed.
• You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, patient coffee and such, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
• We will be disinfecting surfaces inside our practice common areas with even more frequency.
• Appointments will be managed to allow for “clinical” distancing between patients and extra time for sterilization efforts. 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. To make an appointment, please call our office at (520) 575-5576.
Thank you for choosing Studio Dental to take care of your dental needs. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors and friends.
COVID 19 Pre-screening questions: (Please call us if you answer yes to any of the following)
1. Do you have a fever or have you felt hot or feverish recently (last 14-21days)?
2. Are you having shortness of breath or other difficulties breathing?
3. Do you have a cough?
4. Any other flu like symptoms, such as gastrointestinal upset, headache or fatigue?
5. Have you experience recent loss of taste or smell?
6. Any known exposure to any person being tested for COVID-19 (including pending results) or know to be positive for COVID-19.
7. Are you over 60 years of age?
8. Do you have heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, diabetes or any auto-immune disorder?
9. Have you traveled in the past 14 days to any regions affected by COVID-19?
Your dental family at Studio Dental - Athena Storey, DDS
