Dear Parents,
These are some crazy times, aren’t they? The one thing we’ve been grateful for through all this is knowing that we are all in this together. We’ve witnessed it in our community, through the kind gestures of so many, as well as the dedication and efforts of our front line. It has truly been inspirational.
Through this all, we have not forgotten about you and your family. We have remained open to see emergencies while working on changes in the office to make you and your family feel safe and comfortable once we reopen. Our office follows the recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Infection control has ALWAYS been the main focus of our office, and to deal with the ramifications of this pandemic we have made the following changes in accordance with the recommendations from the above agencies:
When confirming appointments, you will be asked some questions regarding your health and the health of your child. These questions will be reviewed again when you arrive at the office. Everyone’s temperature will be taken upon arrival and hand sanitizer will be dispensed.
Everyone over 2 years of age will be required to wear a mask/cloth face covering if entering the office. Older children may be escorted to the door or dropped off. You will be able to communicate with us via phone or text when you arrive. One parent will be allowed into the office per family. No additional children allowed in the office, aside from those with appointments.
You will also notice that there will be a Plexiglas barrier between you and the front desk when you check-in. All staff members will be wearing the proper PPE correlating with their role in patient care.
All magazines, books, and toys from the waiting room to the operatories have been removed to prevent cross- contamination. The movie theater is roped off, but we have placed a TV in the lobby for all to watch.
The waiting room has been rearranged to allow for the recommended 6-foot social distancing. When you arrive, you will be assigned to a waiting area depending on the number of family members present. There will be commercial grade disinfecting wipes for all to use.
The sink in the waiting room will be for hand washing and sanitizing only. Toothbrushing, therefore, will be prohibited.
Appointments will be lengthened and staggered to allow for on-time scheduling, reducing waiting time, as well as the number of patients in the reception room at one time.
You will notice there are medical-grade HEPA H13 air purifiers in the waiting room and all operatories to filter the air from viral particles (0.1 microns). There will also be a UV sanitizer in the waiting room to be used for your frequently touched objects, especially your phones, keys, and masks.
Our staff will be wearing single-use disposable gowns for all patients and N95/KN95 masks with either a facial shield or glasses. You will notice an additional mask over the N95/KN95’s that will be changed after each patient.
We look forward to seeing you again and are available to address any questions or concerns regarding the steps we’ve taken to keep you and your family safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at 914-967-5735, or visit our website www.ryesmiles.com or Facebook/Instagram page and request an appointment via email or text.
We can’t thank you enough for being part of our extended family and rest assured, we will care for you and your child as we do our own. Wishing you all good health and happiness, and hoping to see you all soon.
Sincerely,
Deborah Troy, DDS, Charles Yau, DDS, and the staff at RyeSmiles Pediatric Dentistry
