We hope all of our wonderful patients are in good health.  These past few months and unprecedented times have been a challenge for all of us. We are very much looking forward to returning back to our normal habits and routines.  While many things will have to change due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19, one thing will always remain the same at DCN: our commitment to making your dental visit safe and providing you with the best dental service and experience.    

We want to let you know that we have done extensive structural upgrades to our existing building.  Our entire HVAC system has been upgraded and UV filtration has been added throughout the entire building.   Each clinical room will have doors, and medical grade HEPA filtration with added UV filters in it as well.  Upon completion of the procedure, the room will be sanitized utilizing this great technology and then disinfected for even further safety measures.  We at Dental Care Niagara, take your health and well being very seriously.  You have always been a member of our family and we will continue to treat you as one. 

Please read the following sections on our newly established procedures that will ensure your safety as well as the safety of the DCN staff through the Covid-19 pandemic.   

BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT

• We will call you one week prior to your appointment.
• We must hear from you in order to keep your appointment with us.
• A staff member will go over all of the screening questions, ask for your email address and credit card number (will be kept safe in your file).
• A reminder email will be sent to you the day before your appointment.
• Please note, due to limited booking spaces we will no longer be able to accommodate your last minute cancellations due to limited booking spaces, and you will be charged for your missed appointment.

ARRIVAL AT THE OFFICE

• When you leave your house please wash your hands and use your bathroom.
• Please bring your own mask and sunglasses to the appointment.
• Please try to keep your body cool during car ride and keep your mask off whiles you are driving.
• When you arrive at parking lot, please call the office at 905-468-5656 or text 289-668-9036 with your name and wait for the instructions.
• When instructed, place on your mask and walk to the building and a staff member will greet you. Note that all the door handles and surfaces have been disinfected prior to your arrival. 
• You will be asked to sanitize your hands and a staff member will guide you into our screening area.
• A staff member will measure your temperature and oxygen saturation and review the set of screening questions that were asked prior to the appointment.
• If you pass both screening and vitals tests, you will be taken to your treatment room immediately; if you are unsuccessful in any of screening conducted your appointment will have to be rescheduled.
• We apologize, but our coffee and tea services are still in self isolation.
• All commonly used items have been removed.
• For those that require assistance, only one chaperon per patient is allowed due to fallow times between the appointments (time required to completely sanitize the room with HEPA filters and fogger). As a result, we can now only accommodate two family members at the time.  We are very sorry and we do apologize and we ask for your cooperation and patience during this time. 

IN THE TREATMENT ROOM

• We highly recommend that you bring your own sunglasses. If you forget a pair of disinfected sunglasses will be given to you.
• You will be asked to rinse your mouth with antibacterial mouth rinse.
• Before your appointment you will be advised in detail of the protocols regarding your appointment.
• With all the extra PPE, our rooms will be kept much cooler than usual. Please dress accordingly, bring your own sweater or cover blanket.
• If you require neck pillow please bring such item from home as well.
• Some procedures might be modified to limit number of aerosols being generated. For next little while, your cleaning appointment might be done using hand scaling techniques.  Rubber dam (little mouth raincoat) may be used while drilling.
• We will be wearing many layers of PPE during our procedures and it will be very difficult for the staff to breathe. Please note that once we start working, conversations will be kept to a minimum until the treatment is finished. 
• The person receiving the treatment is the only person allowed in the treatment room. The chaperon for those patients that require assistance will have to wait in the waiting room. 
• Once the treatment has started on a patient, the clinician must stay in the room until the procedure is finished; we will try to do our best to accommodate everyone, but your check ups with the dentist (associated with your hygiene visit) might have to be postponed or rescheduled.
• Once your procedure is done, you will be asked to sanitize your hands.
• Once you leave the treatment room, the door will be closed and HEPA filters will be turned on followed by a fogging procedure at the end of the cycle.

LEAVING THE OFFICE

• Once your treatment is done, you will be emailed any post op instructions.
• Your credit card will be charged while you are sitting in the treatment room.
• Your receipt, and all procedure codes will be emailed to you while you are still in our office.
• Any necessary insurance information will be filled out for your insurance provider.
• If you set up online payment with your insurance company, then the money will be transferred into your account within two business days.
• When your appointment is finished, a staff member will escort you out of the office.
• Thank you for helping us establish this new low touch dentistry
• For your safety and ours, we will avoid any possible paper or use of common things such as debit machine.
• Please be mindful of physical distancing between everyone in the office.
• We are also limiting any unnecessary contact; please bring your pen and paper if you need to write down any information.
• Thank you for your support and cooperation.

We can’t wait to see you on your next visit at DCN!  Until then stay safe!