I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how our office has been doing during the pandemic, how we were affected by it, and what we’ve been doing to keep everyone safe. I’ve been so incredibly proud of the community of patients that we serve, the amazing staff that stands behind me, and all of the steps that I took in order to reopen our practice. So, I’d like to share a piece of that with you.
I closed the office for 10 weeks during the pandemic. The reasons for this closure were as complex as the virus that caused it. I was told by several scientific and government organizations that running a handpiece during this time could have been dangerous due to how Covid-19 was spread between people. So, out of an abundance of caution, we decided to suspend our operations on March 17th. We treated our emergency patients through tele-dentistry and referrals. It was a struggle, but we, like many other dental offices in our area, knew that it was the right thing to do.
My next challenge was finding the type of personal protective equipment that would best protect my staff and patients. This was quite an undertaking as the only type of mask that was recommended to protect ourselves from the Corona Virus was an N95. They were in short supply. We were able to find a small supply from a distributor for Fire Department Equipment and Supplies, and also from our patient community. Several of our amazing patients raided their basements, asked around their friends and families, called construction companies to fulfill our desperate need. Thank you. We would not have been able to open the office without these masks. I also invested in OSHA certified lab gowns, eye protection, face shields, and surgical caps for the entire staff. We installed a washer and dryer at the office so that none of my staff would have to take their clothes home to wash them. And in addition to the incredible amount of disinfecting and sterilizing that my staff was already doing between each patient, we installed HEPA filters in each operatory. We also now use a special suction device called a DryShield when we’re using the dental drill. And we have also asked our patients to maintain 6 feet of social distancing in our office, as well as wear face coverings in our office and use hand sanitizer upon entering the practice.
Then came the decision on whether or not we would open at our new or old space. This was a tough decision for me. When faced with these types of choices, I’ve tried to remember the core values of my business. It’s always been people. I decided to open at the new location at 4125 N 124th St., Ste. J in Brookfield (and not at the Mayfair Tower) because I wanted to open at the safest, healthiest, and most protected location. Our new office is amazing. We have front row parking for our patients, a back entrance for our staff, bathrooms in the office, and no more elevator rides.
So what is our plan for the future? I plan to continue to provide great dentistry to our patients, and to do so in a safe environment. I owe you, my patients, a huge thank you for sticking with us through this unprecedented time. We are all so grateful for your continued support, and for all of the phone calls, letters, and kind words that you’ve said to help lift us up during this difficult time. We can’t thank you enough and look forward to welcoming you to our new location in Brookfield.