03/18/2020
From the office of Dr. Michael Dang:
To our amazing patients, we recognize the unprecedented and extraordinary circumstances that we all are facing related to the growing concern about COVID-19. We are deeply concerned for the health and well-being of our patients and our dental team. In order for our office to do its part to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the American Dental Association (ADA) has recommended that all dentists nationwide postpone elective procedures for the next three weeks. Concentrating on emergency dental care will allow us to care for our emergency patients and alleviate the burden that dental emergencies would place on hospital emergency departments.
Effective immediately, we will be open for non-elective procedures and dental emergencies, hygiene and cosmetic procedures will be rescheduled when this crisis has passed. In addition, we have instituted an after hour’s number for you to call or text to reach our office in case of emergency, the number is (808) 486-2585.
The following conditions and protocols are now in place at our office:
1. Until otherwise stated, we are currently OPEN for business, with operating hours of 9:00am to 1:00pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Any potential adjustments to our hours will be communicated as necessary and without delay. Existing patients and new patients are welcome, as long as they are free of any symptoms of illness.
2. We will screen you at the time your appointment is scheduled and again when you arrive for your appointment, and take your temperature. We feel an abundance of caution is important for your safety, and for the safety of our staff.
3. NEW “Text-2-Chair” protocol for our patients is active. When you arrive for your scheduled appointments, we kindly request that you call us at (808) 261-7448 (Call) or send a text to (808) 468-2585 to inform us that you are here. To avoid having patients and companions waiting together in our reception room, we will let you know that your scheduled treatment room and chair are completely disinfected and ready for you, we ask that you wait in the comfort of your car or outside of our office until your chair is ready. Once ready, we will call or text you and then es**rt you straight back to your chair with no waiting inside our office. NOTE: We are also allowing a little extra time between appointments to minimize waiting times and allow for extra infection control measures.
4. Our STANDARD sterilization and infection control practices already exceed all state and federal guidelines, including the elimination of all infectious viruses and bacteria...and COVID-19 is no exception. In addition, we are taking extra measures to protect you, including “double wiping” treatment areas and common countertops, doors and restrooms after each patient, and hourly regardless of patient volume. We are also minimizing any potential aerosol creation during dental treatment, including using little to no ultrasonic cleaning during visits. Finally, our dental masks offer extremely high levels of protection against the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses.
5. If you or someone in your family is currently, or has experienced ANY symptoms of illness (including fever, cough, or flu-like symptoms) during the last 14 days before your scheduled appointment, please notify us as soon as possible. We will happily reschedule your appointment to a future date at least two weeks after your latest reported date of being symptom free. You will incur no additional costs or fees due to any rescheduling as a result of your health conditions.
6. If you are advised by a health care professional to “self-quarantine” due to recent travel OR potential exposure to COVID-19, OR others who have had potential exposure to the virus, please notify us as soon as possible. We will happily reschedule your appointment to a future date at least one week after the end date of your self-quarantine period. You will incur no additional costs or fees due to any rescheduling as a result of a self-quarantine situation.
7. We ask to postpone appointments for our patients who are elderly, immuno-compromised, pregnant or part of an at-risk population.
8. My entire dental team, including myself, are under strict orders to monitor our own health and any potential symptoms of illness. In the event that anyone from my team experiences any symptoms of illness, each affected person must self-quarantine away from the office for a period of at least 2 weeks after the latest reported date of being symptom free. NOTE: Our schedule may need to be adjusted according to available doctor and/or team members if this situation arises.
9. If you happen to know of any family members, friends, co-workers or neighbors who are unable to see their own dentist because of limited availability, AND they have been symptom free for at least 2 weeks, we would be happy to see them for any necessary or requested treatment in our office, subject to appointment availability. We will also happily refer them back to their regular dentist after completion of their requested dental treatment. Our purpose here is to serve others who may be in need of care.
My amazing dental team and I want to THANK YOU for entrusting us with caring for your oral health. We value our relationships with you, and we assure you that we are doing everything we can to continue to provide you with excellent experiences in our office. We are also dedicated to protecting your health, and the health of all those in our communities and beyond.
