Same ALFIE Dentistry, Different Safe Space
After 12 weeks with our AMAZING Emergency Dental Team, we're so happy to reopen for full-service dentistry - and to trickle in our Quaranteam members (Remember Toronto and GTHA, while other parts of the province is moving forward with Stage 2 Reopening Post-COVID, we're still in Stage 1 - which permits dental offices to be open, but we're still far from our New Normal)! We look forward to a full-house of ALFIE Dentistry staff (eventually), but for now, we're reintroducing members a few at a time.
Here are some updated policies to keep everyone in the loop:
The automatic slide door at ALFIE Willowdale has been set to manual - this allows our team members to control visitor flow so that everyone can practice physical distancing and to help keep everyone safe - for example, by making sure all surfaces and touch-points have been properly cleaned and sanitized before each visitor.
This also allows for prescreening procedures and temperature recordings by our front desk staff.
We are asking that all visitors sanitize their hands right away upon entry. The sanitizing station is located immediately to your left, upon passing the sliding glass doors.
Once hands have been sanitized, our assistant will take you right into the treatment room, it is important to note that you will bypass the waiting room. If you have been with us for a while, you may have noticed that we haven't stocked the waiting rooms with magazines or newspapers or children's toys or other germy items for over ten years. We had already taken measures to reduce the spread of communicable diseases then - by not allowing shared objects and excess touch-points - and we're always looking for ways to improve our protocols and to up our game. By removing the waiting rooms completely, you reduce exposure to other people's germs.
We recently installed UV-C lights and HEPA air purifiers throughout the office, and we are now allocating at least ten minutes after each patient leaves the treatment room for the UV-C light and HEPA filters to properly disinfect the area. These ten minutes are in addition to the time it takes for assistants to thoroughly clean each room. While we try our best to respect your time and to book you accordingly into the schedule, please be aware that sometimes delays do happen - but it is for the safety of you and your family (although we should mention that delays are rare at our office :)). So, please be patient.
Once treatment is complete, you will be lead to the front desk area, where a new plexiglass barrier has been installed. Please note that we are not accepting cash payments. Contactless payment options are encouraged through credit cards (we accept Visa and Mastercard) as well as Debit. Insurance claims can be sent online (for most major insurance companies) and they will reimburse you. It is a good idea for you to arrange direct deposit with them (if you haven't done so already) - so that you won't have to deal with the hassles of waiting for a cheque (not to mention any potential germs you might come in contact with - when depositing the cheque through a bank teller or touching the buttons of an ATM).
During this time (or even before your visit!), you can submit an email address to our front desk team and ask that your receipt and insurance explanation of benefits be emailed to you - again, this is to reduce shared touch-spaces for future transactions.
Don't forget to check out and register for our new Patient Portal - so you can see when your next appointments are and access valuable information. Email us at info@smilingtar.com so we can help get you started.
