Dr. Bridgeman’s Letter to her Patients

            Greetings from the office of Dr. Dianne Bridgeman. We are dedicated to keep you and our team safe!

          We are looking forward to welcoming you back to our practice. Our office has always utilized personal protective equipment (PPE) that has exceeded all the CDC guidelines, however in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have instituted additional guidelines and protocols to ensure your safety.

          You will see many changes. We have new ways of scheduling your appointments and managing your insurance and financial transactions. First, you will be contacted 48-72 hours prior to your appointment via phone, text, or email, and asked a set of health-related questions. It is required that we complete this questionnaire prior to your appointment. We will have to reschedule your appointment if we are unable to complete this step. below is a list of some of the enhanced precautions we have taken to protect you. In addition we have participated in extensive team training on infection control procedures through webinars during the shutdown.

1. Personalized arrival procedures implemented to guide you from your car directly to the treatment rooms to eliminate contacting surfaces. Please wear your mask to the office. Your temperature will be taken at the door, and upon arrival in the treatment room you will wash your hands and rinse with a peroxide mouthwash. Then, replace your mask until you receive further instructions.
2. Please maintain a distance of 6 feet in the reception area for essential caregivers and parents of minors if they cannot wait outside the waiting room.
3. We have removed magazines and items that can harbor or transfer germs of any kind. There are hand santizers throughout the office, Kleenex, and open receptacles for trash.
4. We require a mask to be worn by all patients upon entering the office.
5. We have installed sneeze guards around the front desk area. Please stand in the areas marked on the floor.
6. We will require team members to have periodic testing for COVID-19 and antibodies for the earliest detection as this testing becomes more available.
7. We record the temperature and lung efficiency of every team member at the beginning and end of a work day as well as ask if they have any symptoms of the virus or direct exposure.
8. We request payment arrangements in advance, to avoid delay and allow you to have a contactless exit from your appointment.
9. We have implemented enhanced operatory disinfection procedures across all surfaces between patients
10. We have added ambient air management with advanced IQ Prohealth air filters that filter down to 0.003 microns. (Smaller than the virus itself!)
11. We have added enhanced HVAC disinfection with special dental adapters to minimize aerosol production.
12. We have added enhanced fogging disinfection procedures to reach hard to clean surfaces.
13. We have new personal protection equipment such as shields, hair nets, isolation gowns, and masks for our doctors and team.
14. We have new protocols and procedures to eliminate airborned aerosols during all dental procedures. (Special hi-vac suctions and mouthpieces)
15. We will disinfect all outside mail and packages that enter the building
16. We will have longer appointment times for you to prepare and complete all appointment tasks and duties in the safest and most comprehensive manner.
17. At your preventive care visit, most exams will be virtual. The Dr. will be looking at pictures, radiographs, while the hygienists will be communicating any problems or needs with the Dr. and scheduling an appointment to treat you. You will also be able to call the Dr. later for any follow-up questions you may have between 5-6 pm that day.

          This set of protocols will not be enforced forever. Please be patient and flexible with our new safety measures. We will provide teledentistry services for follow-up communication that can be done either online or with a phone call. We value you as our clients, and we value your input. Please reach out to us with your concerns or questions.

          Thank you very much for your help in keeping our office safe for everybody!

Thank you, be safe, and stay well!

Dr. Dianne Bridgeman