"To care for those who once care for us is one of the highest honors." - Tia Walker
To Our Dear Patients and Their Families:
In the last several days, attention to the COVID-19 infection has increased, and we understand there has been heightened concern related to the health and wellbeing of the elderly. Our team has been vigilant in staying on the forefront of the information provided so as to know how best care for our patients who are at the greatest risk. We are committed to continuing our services during this time so as to decrease the burden on systemic health associated with dental infection and to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations of the elders in our community by delivering the care they need onsite. For more information on the oral-systemic health link, please visit Geriatric Oral Health Facts.
We understand that each community we collaborate with and each patient and family we serve may have specialized concerns or needs, and we have the compassion and the capacity to customize solutions that are best for each individual during these challenging times.
Many of the patients we already see on a routine basis are severely medically compromised, so we are well experienced and prepared to continue to manage these more complex cases. Additional precautions we are taking during this time include:
We are asking patients (or their responsible parties) to complete a screening questionnaire before they are seen for their appointments. We are rescheduling appointments if the screen reveals a significant risk of infection or infection exposure.
We are asking for no more than one person accompanying a patient to their appointment. That person will be subject to the same screening for infection risk as the patient.
Should anyone be evaluated at in their individual room with symptoms suggesting COVID-19 infection as identified by the CDC, they will not be taken to our exam room and will be rescheduled when they have recovered.
We are working with each facility's management team to help prevent contamination within the local community.
We are working to expand our telehealth capability and are able to address preliminary issues via tele-dental methods.
We have increased our vigilance and frequency of wiping down our collateral and/or mobile equipment using CDC recommended disinfectants.
Our team members are being vigilant about their own health and will stay home if ill or have been exposed to COVID-19 and will contact their primary care physician to determine if they are safe to return to work. None of our staff is showing symptoms of COVID-19; no staff has traveled to high risk countries over the past weeks. However, we are self-monitoring our temperature and overall health routinely.
We are asking the following of our patients:
If the resident (or anyone who has recently visited the resident, recent contacts, etc) has respiratory symptoms or a fever, please notify our team immediately so we can reschedule.
If a resident has been exposed to someone who has traveled in the past two weeks to a foreign country, please call to reschedule.
We are asking patients to restrict themselves to one accompanying caregiver. We are happy to include additional family or friends you want involved with your care through FaceTime or phone call during your visit.
Due to the oral-systemic health link and the increased burden on the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems and overall systemic immunity, we believe it is in the patients' best interest to treat active disease and infection, to proceed with oral cancer screenings and biopsies, and to restore function for improved nutrition.
It is important to us that you are comfortable with your continued care through our practice. We will do everything we can to keep you and your family safe. Please stay safe and healthy during this pandemic. Practice frequent hand washings and cover your nose and mouth with a tissue if coughing. Avoid touching your face. If you have traveled to countries designated as Level 3 Health Notice country by the CDC, please stay home for at least 14 days from the time you left the area and self-monitor. Many area hospitals have designated special rooms and entries for patients suspected of having COVID-19 infection. If you are short of breath and have symptoms severe enough to warrant seeking emergency care, please call the ER in advance to alert them you are coming.
On behalf of our doctors and team, we are here for you. We will continue to monitor the situation and will make changes to our procedures as more information becomes available. We will pull together as a community and halt this pandemic by taking the proper precautions. Please feel free to call or email if you have any questions about anything (kasey@onsitedentists.com or 214-368-0901). We are also happy to help deliver items to seniors or immunocompromised patients who are unable to get out. We are in this together.
Sincerely,
The Onsite Dentists of Texas