Office Re-Opening Announcement

Updated May 30, 2020

Thank you all for your patience and helping us follow recommended guidelines for restrictions on treatment the past few weeks. As we resume practicing on June 1, we will continue to abide by the social distancing guidelines, and will not be able to have patients wait in the waiting room.

We will begin most treatments on June 1 and hygiene and cleaning on July 1. If you’ve had an appointment canceled due COVID-19, our office will resume regular business hours from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm and to take your calls and reschedule appointments. You are welcome to leave a message if it’s after those hours, and we will return your call the following business day.  If you have any other concerns about your scheduled appointment or need to schedule, please call and we will gladly assist you and address your questions. Please be patient as we resume because it will take some time to meet the needs of those who’ve been put on hold during the restrictions, and we will also be facing clinical guidelines that require additional work and time for our staff. Until further notice, we will be implementing the following protocols for check in and appointments: Appointment Protocol for Reopening June 1 until further notice

1. When you arrive for your appointment, please call the office from your car and let us know you have arrived. You will be asked to wait in your car until we call or text you that you may come in. Please call our office to request opening of main entrance and don’t press buzzer.

2. If the patient is a minor, only 1 guardian will be allowed near the treatment room. The guardian will have to stand behind the dentist or hygienist near the hallway at the entrance of the room. If the guardian does not wish to be near the treatment room or has other siblings to care for, he/she will wait in the parking lot in your vehicle.

3. Adult patients, unless they have a guardian aiding in decisions, may have no other person in the treatment rooms.

4. Patients will be asked to complete questionnaires prior to your appointment at https://us.patientriver.com/hudsondentalcenter

5. Patient (and companion) temperature will be evaluated prior to entrance.

6. Employee temperatures will be evaluated and recorded 2 times a day to ensure safety. Use the restroom and wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds BEFORE entering treatment areas.

7. Our staff will be disinfecting non treatment areas that patients come into contact with frequently (counters, door handles, bathrooms, ipads, pens, etc.)

8. No walk in appointments will be allowed.

9. Please do not walk in to discuss billing questions or pay bills. Please call the office with any questions, and we will be glad to accept payment over the phone if you choose to pay with that method. All appointments require $25 deposit which can be paid by credit card or zelle.

10. Please reschedule if someone from your household has been sick within 14 days.

Some key changes and updates how are we handling infection control:

• Our coffee stations and magazines have temporarily been removed.
• Sneeze-guards have been installed by the reception desk to maintain distance between patients and team members.
• All of our dental chairs will be covered by disposable liners that are changed between each patient. All other “touchable” surfaces will continue to be covered with disposable liners, as always.
• We have introduced a pre-procedural rinse to reduce exposure to germs.
• We have been wearing (a) FDA cleared N95 and KN95 masks covered by a Level 2 or 3 surgical mask overlay. (b) Scrubs, scrub caps, and disposable lab jackets (c) Face shields (d) Eye protection.

In order to minimize aerosol spray in our office, the following measures have been taken:

• All of our treatment rooms are private rooms with the option to close doors should an aerosol-producing procedure be necessary.
• Dryshield that uses continuous suction to reduce aerosols and splatter in dental procedures.
• Medical-grade air purifiers with H13 HEPA filters located throughout the office for continuous air cleaning removing 99.7 % particles.
• Foggers: Fogging Hypochlorous Acid (HOCL) daily to clean air and surfaces.
• Extra Oral Suction: Extra-oral dental aerosol suction system terminates the aerosols that could otherwise spread around.

We at Hudson Dental Center always strive to go above and beyond for our patients, and the above-listed modifications and changes we have implemented in light of current events are no exception. Our commitment to the safety of our patients and team knows no limits.

Dr. Payal Kshatriya DDS