Keep Up To Date – Covid-19

At Affiliated Dentists, we are doing our part to help protect our community…

New Check-in Policy

• Please arrive 10 minutes early to your appointment. Call the office to let them know that you are here.
• During that phone call, we will make sure that you have no symptoms. We will also check to see if you have had Covid-19 or have been around someone who has had it. We will also check to see if you have recently been tested. 
• Based on our protocol below, we will tell you either to head into the office or reschedule your appointment.
• If we are not ready for you, we may have you wait in your car and call you back when we are ready for you to come in. This decreases the amount of patients waiting in our lobby.
• We require masks for anyone who enters our clinic. The masks may be taken off when treatment begins. We will provide one if you do not have one.
• If you’re having trouble checking in over the phone, please put on your mask and check in at the front desk.

The CDC has given recommendations for seeing patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. Please refer to the protocol below. If you have any questions, please contact the office. Since things are constantly changing, we will update you with any changes. We appreciate your understanding and patience during this unprecedented time.

Covid-19 Protocol

If you have Covid symptoms but have not been tested:

• Please get tested. 
• You can be seen 20 days after the initial symptom developed and if you have had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

If you have taken a Covid test because you were possibly exposed to Covid-19 and you tested negative: 

• You must follow a 10-day quarantine. If no symptoms develop, you can be seen 10 days after the start of your quarantine. 
• You must follow a 10-day quarantine. If symptoms develop, you can be seen 20 days after the initial symptom developed and if you have had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

If you tested positive: 

• You can be seen 20 days after the initial symptom developed and if you have had no fever for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.  
• If no symptoms develop, you may be seen 20 days after your positive Covid-19 test.

Based on CDC recommendations, you will see some changes in our office:

• We will provide hand sanitizer and masks when you enter our clinic. The waiting chairs have been moved apart to allow for social distancing. With our curbside check in, we hope to minimize patients waiting in our lobby.
• Our front desk will be behind clear barriers. Our front desk staff will also be wearing masks. It may be harder for you to hear, so don’t be afraid to ask for any clarification of information.
• The clinical staff will be wearing face shields when they are treating patients. As stated above, it can be harder to hear what they are saying. Please tell them if you’re having trouble hearing.
• When staff walks you back to the operatory, they will be taking your temp. If it reads 100.4 or greater, we will reschedule your appointment.
• We have all patients sign a Covid-19 risk form. We see dentistry as essential to our patient’s overall health. Since patients need to remove their face masks for treatment, there is a risk to contract Covid-19. However, with our extensive protocols put in place, we believe the chance is extremely low, but we know there are no guarantees.
• During treatment with instruments that could create aerosols, we will be using additional suction. This suction creates more background noise in our office.
• If you are in need of an exam, the dentists may try to come and do your exam sooner. We hope this decreases the patient’s time in our office by not waiting for a doctor.
• At the end of each appointment, we will schedule your next hygiene appointment in the operatory. Our hope is to have as few patients as possible stop at the front desk on their way out.
• After each patient, we continue our infection control procedures that we always have had in place. We wipe down the operatory, computers, and personal protective equipment.

Thank you for your help in keeping our community healthy!