Covid-19 operations at Children’s Braces & Dentistry
As the facts and situation around COVID-19 (coronavirus) continue to evolve, and in step with Gov. Newsom’s recent Declaration of a State of Emergency, including the call for all seniors over the age of 65 and residents with chronic conditions to self-isolate at home, the California Dental Association is requesting the cooperation of all California dentists and issuing the following guidance. The California Dental Association (CDA) strongly recommends that dentists practicing in California voluntarily suspend nonessential or non-urgent dental care for the next 14 days. As always, it is expected that dentists will continue to be available as needed for emergency care and services.\
Our Office Will Comply With This Recommendation
As an orthodontist and children’s dentistry in El Cajon, our office will comply with this recommendation. We will have the minimal staff to oversee emergencies and to answer phone calls in order to reschedule appointments and address your concerns. We recognize that our ongoing orthodontic patients that are scheduled this week and next week haven’t been seen by us in several weeks, it is the result of the normal intervals we usually do for orthodontic tooth movement to occur. Therefore, we will be available in the mornings to address any pokey or lose appliances. Rest assured that after this interval, their orthodontic treatment will still be on schedule or slight delay pending the effects of these recommendations on the overall spread and containment of this virus.
To our patients who are scheduled for treatment of dental caries, we recognize that some of these patients may need to be seen to alleviate pain or prevent a worsening condition. Please rest assured we are monitoring these cases, and we will address them on a one-to-one basis. We want them to still be able to be seen if the need is imminent. We also want to minimize any further spread of this virus to others and to our staff, and we will keep the utmost strict disinfectant protocols that are available.
CDA does not make this request lightly, and it is being done out of an abundance of caution during this historic public health emergency. As health care professionals, we all have a role to play in “flattening the curve” in order to follow the sound, scientific public health advice to help limit infections and slow the spread of the virus. Our collective actions now will determine the spread of COVID-19, and this recommendation is being made after careful deliberation and in consultation with state and national public health experts. We believe by taking these extraordinary precautions; dentists can make a difference in helping to preserve the limited supply of personal protective equipment critical for emergency dental care and frontline health care personnel responding to the pandemic.
We understand you will have questions about what to do next following this announcement. For the most up-to-date information and support, continue checking this webpage.
Thank you,
Dr. Santiago A. Surillo