COVID-19 Coronavirus

To all our valued patients,

On top of everyone’s mind is what is happening in regards to the COVID-19 Coronavirus.  As a healthcare provider and employer, we take our responsibility of our patients, colleagues, and community seriously.  We are actively navigating the sea of information to be sure that we are acting in accordance with organizations like the CDC, WISHA, ADA, and WSDA. This letter is to inform you of the actions and status of our office after substantial consideration.

At this time, our office will be closed for all routine, non-essential care for the coming weeks. This means that all regularly scheduled hygiene, new patient exams, and most surgeries, are going to be rescheduled. There will be a few post-operative and emergency appointments that will be ongoing. We will be available during this time for emergencies. We will be checking voicemails routinely and will be returning phone calls.

It is important to note that our facility has always maintained high levels of sterility.  We are a surgical office and this requires strict enforcement of protective measures to provide surgical care in a safe and effective manner.  These measures have always been employed in our nonsurgical care, to blanket our policy and exercise caution, even if it may be more than what is required by law.  However, at this time we are following even further precautions to ensure the safety of our team, patients, and community.

Our commonsense view point on the reality of our situation as a community:  

• A healthcare facility that is maintained as ours, is in fact, a safe place.  It is constantly being cleaned, barriers placed, and then disinfected immediately after patient dismissal.  
• We have expanded our protocols into every area of the office, not just treatment rooms.  
• Reception area, bathrooms, commonly touched surfaces will be cleaned throughout the day.
• We have managed our schedule so that we do not have many people in the office at one time, thus decreasing exposure of one another to “crowds”.
• Magazines, water bottles and the coffee maker have been removed from reception area.

What we are asking of our patients and team members that require care during this time:

• If you have had contact with anyone that has been ill, please stay home.
• If you have traveled to a high risk area, please stay home.
• If you feel “off” please stay home.
• If you have any high risk people in your household, please stay home.
• If you feel well, and have been contacted to keep your visit, wash your hands for 20 seconds with the soap we have provided upon arriving.
• All handshaking, hugs, and other physical greetings are to be withheld.

We take the health and safety of our team, patients, and all of their loved ones very seriously.  We are committed to the betterment of our community at large, and this is an exercise in it.  As the situation unfolds, we may change our protocols or schedule as needed.  Be assured we will actively contact any patients who will be affected during this temporary closure.

Be well and stay safe.  

Dr Karla Aylen & the Team at Northgate Smiles