Our COVID19 Health and Safety Measures

Dear valued patients and friends of Panatella Dental,

Thank you for giving me a moment of your time to update you on Panatella Dental’s phase one relaunch.  As of May 19th, the office has resumed normal business hours, and we are able to provide all services for our community. Urgent and emergency services will still be given top priority, however we know that routine oral care is also important and we will do our best to serve everyone.

We have enhanced our Infection Prevention and Control measures and have made positive changes to our office policies in order to keep everyone safe and take every precaution in the fight against Covid-19.  Included are a few of the changes we have introduced to keep you healthy and safe:

1. Additional screening of patients and staff along with temperature reading from touchless thermometers will be used to ensure the health of everyone in the office;
2. Enhanced cleaning and infection prevention and control measures especially in high touch zones;
3. We are limiting the number of patients in the office and waiting room by adding additional time to all appointments;
4. We have the ability to isolate treatment rooms with our glass doors to contain any potential contamination, and we are limiting aerosol-generating  medical procedures to these rooms;
5. All patients will be given a specific 1% Hydrogen Peroxide rinse prior to treatment to reduce possible airborne pathogens;
6. Only patients that are receiving treatment, and accompanying adults will be allowed in the office. All additional family members will be asked to wait in their vehicles or stay at home;
7. Once patients check-in and have completed a screening, they will have the option to wait in their cars, and will be given a phone call or text to alert them to return for their appointment when their treatment room is ready;
8. Fewer waiting room chairs will be made available to help ensure adequate spacing;
9. Barriers have been installed where possible to help protect patients and staff;
10. Mandatory use of masks by all staff while in the office will help to increase patient and personal safety.

As of today, obtaining Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is still our biggest challenge. Supply chains remain stretched or broken and flow to the dental industry is still minimal. Due to these shortages, we are forced to work at a lower capacity. Our administrators and staff are working hard to reserve appointment times on a week by week basis. As we pull through this crisis and the supply of PPE returns to normal we will be able to have more of our staff return, appointments available, and capacity to serve you better.

We will do our absolute best to contact everyone who had a previously scheduled appointment.  We appreciate your patience while we try to accomplish this.  If you have concerns of an urgent nature please call us to discuss options that are available. We truly appreciate the trust and confidence that you have in our office and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

Stay well,

Dr. Joel Thurmeier & the Team at Panatella Dental