Dear Parents and our beloved patients,
Hope you are having a great week so far. We miss y’all and are giving you yet another update! As many of you know, our office is currently open with limited hours for emergency/urgent care patients only this week. However, with the latest Texas Governor’s executive order on April 27 and recommendation by TDA/TAPD, our office will be open next week starting on May 4th for regular cleanings, restorative procedures and orthodontic (braces) treatment with limited capacity. We will then resume regular business hours starting on May 11. Should anything change again (hopefully not), we will let you know ASAP. We are actively calling our patients to schedule any necessary appointments coming up. You are more than welcome to reach out to us via phone, email, facebook message, and/or webchat through our website to schedule appointments or ask any questions. For hygiene appointments, we also have online scheduling available on google (look for a link that says localmed.com next to “appointments”), our website and facebook page.
In addition, we would like to emphasize again on what we have done in the office to keep everyone healthy and minimize risks during the COVID-19 craziness. Some parents took time and sent us valuable feedback to our previous email. Thank you very much! We try our best. =)
Following CDC/OSHA guidelines has always been a daily routine for us and our team is highly trained in these protocols. We have the appropriate PPE to treat our patients and we already have protocols to keep every surface and room disinfected. Our cleaning supplies are also ALL MEDICAL GRADE and we disinfect touched surfaces many times a day. Yes, this includes door knobs, door handles, etc.
In addition, the following extra measures are implemented at our office:
● Patient/parent will remain in the car until we are ready to bring the patient back. Please wear masks if possible when you come in. At present, only one parent is allowed at the back.
● Every patient (and accompanying parents) will have a temperature reading upon arrival. Any patient with temperature above 100 F will be rescheduled.
● We also have a question/consent form specific for COVID-19 pandemic for patients/guardians to fill out.
● Every patient will rinse with ozonated water for 1 min upon arrival prior to all procedures. – We are going towards a more biological approach in our office and Ozone Therapy is now offered at Matthews & Dai. Ozone promotes wound healing and kills viruses, bacteria, fungus, and even prions. As an office, we always strive to provide the most biocompatible materials/options. Ask us for BPA-free and/or metal-free options for restorative procedures.
● We also want to introduce Surgically Clean Air infiltration system that we have at the office.- The Six-Stage air purification system (including a UV chamber in addition to the filters) that hospitals and surgical centers often use captures dust particles, pollen, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), mold, allergens, odors (like formaldehyde and smoke), bio-aerosols, nitrous oxide, and many other pollutants that are found in the inside air in workplaces. Most importantly, they kill bacteria and airborne viruses, such as influenza, TB, and coronavirus. It is one of the most advanced in the market. The negative ion generator makes indoor feel more pure, clean and energized to help combat fatigue.
● We have different intra-oral vacuum systems such as isolite (our famous “whale’s tail/mermaid’s tail”) & purevac. Both work much better on reducing aerosols in the air than normal suction used at most dental offices.
● We have two extra-oral dental vac units (basically a gigantic vacuum) during certain needed dental procedures to create negative pressure and further reduce any chance of aerosol lingering in the air.
● We unfortunately have removed the stuffed animals and magazines from our waiting area/chairs to prevent cross contamination. But our beloved kids will still get a toy! But the toys will be distributed by a team member. We know this will disappoint some and hope you will understand.
We hope everyone is staying healthy and well! Can’t wait to see y’all! Have a blessed week. =)
Dr. Dai, Dr. Matthews & Team
