A Message About COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

We appreciate the trust you have in our practice, and take the health of our patients and their families very seriously. Please know that we are following the evolution of the COVID-19 outbreak, and taking guidance from the CDC, ILDoPH, AAP and AAPD regarding best practices and managing patient care in this rapidly changing situation. We intend to continue to remain open unless there is a shift in guidance.

As a profession, dentistry has always confronted the new realities of infectious diseases head on, and developed guidelines to keep the public and our providers and staff safe. All dental patients are treated with ‘standard precautions,’ the assumption that everyone is infected with one of the many possible infectious diseases we fear contracting or spreading. The good news is nothing has to change for us to mitigate the risk of contamination with COVID-19 in a dental setting.

One significant factor is out of our control, however – the novel coronavirus has demonstrated a need for personal responsibility in controlling its spread. This means attention to the risk status, current health, and the health of your entire family – not just the patient who has an appointment. If you or anyone in your family is or has recently been ill, traveled to any of the affected countries or spent time with anyone who has, you are considered at-risk and must re-schedule your appointment. We consider this to be common-sense behavior and a demonstration of your consideration for the needs of others. It is especially important for those in our community who are at greater risk of infection, such as the elderly and others with weakened immune systems. It should also be noted that this no different than our expectations throughout the year, but given the gravity of our current challenge, we will be strictly enforcing guidelines. Taking recommended steps to minimize spread of infection while ensuring that you seek and receive the appropriate care is the best advice. Your personal physician and local health authorities remain reliable sources of information should you have questions about or require care for suspected infection.

Thank you for your understanding.