COVID-19 FAQ’s
COVID-19
Southtowns Dental Reopening After COVID-19 Lockdown
Frequently Asked Questions
As of June 1st, Governor Cuomo has approved statewide opening of dental offices for regular dental care, and we’re here to answer your questions about Southtowns Dental’s reopening.
What is Southtowns Dental doing to keep patients safe while in the office?
Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association, the CDC, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We have followed the activities of these agencies during this health crisis so that we are up to date on the new guidance and rulings that have been issued, and there have been several. Some of these changes will directly affect you and you will see them at your next appointment. For example:
We conduct temperature checks on all staff and patients every day.
We purchased advanced PPE to protect ourselves and our valued patients, and everyone in the building wears a mask at all times.
We are taking added measures advised by CDC to disinfect each treatment room before your visit.
Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office.
We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office. You will also find some in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed.
We have added exhaust fans in each treatment room for added ventilation.
Our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, children’s toys, and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
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 ask that no additional people come in with the patient, with the exception being one parent or guardian who must be present. All others are asked to remain in their car, not the waiting room, during a patient visit. We will notify you when the patient is done.
We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.
Can I now schedule non-emergency appointments?
Although we have continued to see patients requiring urgent and emergent care throughout this pandemic, we are now scheduling appointments around your routine dental care, including prophylactic cleanings and exams.
I had an appointment scheduled during the COVID-19 lockdown, why hasn’t it been rescheduled?
If you had an appointment during the COVID-19 lockdown that had to be canceled, we are actively calling all patients to get appointments rescheduled. Feel free to call us at 716-825-5020 if you would like your appointment expedited.
When can I schedule my next appointment for a cleaning?
Due to safety reasons related to the virus, we have less availability for cleaning appointments for the near-term future, so be patient if we can’t get you scheduled right away.
What about rescheduling orthodontist appointments?
We have been trying to call all patients that are in active orthodontics to get them in, but if we haven’t reached you yet, please call us at 716-825-5020.
Are staff members regularly being tested for COVID-19?
At the moment, dental health care professionals are not required to be routinely tested.
Southtowns Dental Reopening After COVID-19 Lockdown
To make or confirm an appointment, or to discuss our new protocol, please call our office at 716-825-5020 or visit our website at www.southtownsdental.com. We will continue to call patients and reschedule appointments that were cancelled during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Sincerely,
Drs. Beth D’Angelo, Kevin D’Angelo, Fred Fielding, Maureen Callahan, Bill D’Angelo and our great staff at Southtowns Dental Services, PC