Covid-19 Reopening Information
Summer 2023
Our registration body, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) has not provided an update on covid protocols since October 2022. Our team will always follow all regulations set by the RCDSO, so under these guidelines all our staff are required to wear masks during all patient interactions.
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Patients and visitors or not required to wear masks to, during, or after their appointments. We are required to continue to screen patients for covid-19 using a screening questionnaire developed by Public Health Ontario. As always, please contact us by phone immediately if you are feeling unwell. We will happily reschedule your appointment to a later date.
You can read about the guidelines set by the RCDSO on the website.
Spring 2022
No More Screening Forms!
Still wear a mask... for now.
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We are excited the Royal College of Dentists of Ontario is no longer requiring physical covid screening forms! They are, however, still requiring everyone to continue wearing masks so please continue bringing a mask to your appointments.
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We will update this page the instant this requirement is lifted. The expectation for the next update to come in mid-June 2022.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of Covid-19 or have if you have been told to self isolate please do not enter our office. If you are experiencing symptoms please Ottawa Public Health for guidance. Please also call us to reschedule your appointment.
As always, our goal is to provide a safe environment for our patients, staff, and all of our families. We would rather err on the side of cautious and reschedule an appointment than take an unnecessary risk.
September 13, 2021
No More Screening Forms!
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We are excited to announce the Royal College of Dentists of Ontario is no longer requiring physical covid screening forms!! Temperature checks are also no longer required.
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Effective immediately we will verbally screening patients at time of their appointment. We will also continue to screen patients when confirming over the phone. Patients are still required to wear a mask while not in the dental chair as well as use hand sanitizer (or wash their hands) on the way in and out of their appointments.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of Covid-19 or have if you have been told to self isolate please do not enter our office. If you are experiencing symptoms please Ottawa Public Health for guidance. Please also call us to reschedule your appointment.
As always, our goal is to provide a safe environment for our patients, staff, and all of our families. We would rather err on the side of cautious and reschedule an appointment than take an unnecessary risk.
August 9, 2021
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We are excited to hear how many of our patients have now received both doses of their Covid-19 vaccinations. However, as stipulated by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario we are still required to screen all patients and visitors irrespective of their vaccination status. Additionally, for the ongoing safety of our staff, patients and our families, our current Covid-19 policies will also remain in place.
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Your patience is appreciated and as always we will keep all patients and families informed of any updates to regulations.
April 7, 2021
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Today Ontario Premiere Doug Ford announced province wide stay at home orders to help slow the spread of Covid-19. As a regulated health service we are exempt from this order and will continue to be seeing patients under our strict safety protocols.
As a reminder from Lori and Danielle, every patient needs to have a signed Covid-19 Screening form filled out for each appointment. The link to the form is included with each appointment confirmation email. It can also be downloaded from our website.
We are extremely fortunate that we are able to continue seeing our patients. We approach this opportunity with abundant caution and have strict policies always erring on the side of safety. We have tried to make our Covid-19 policies as unobtrusive as possible, and thank everyone for cooperating with the extra steps.
As always, if you or a family member are exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19, or have come in close contact with someone who is, we ask that you call us to reschedule your appointment. Lori and Danielle are very efficient at rescheduling appointments and will be quick to do so in the interest of not taking unnecessary risks.
Due to strict privacy laws in Canada we are not able to comment on the vaccination status of our team. That said, Ottawa Public Health has made great progress in vaccinating healthcare workers, including dental teams in the city since they expanded the phase 1 vaccination rollout in early March. Getting the vaccine isn’t a reason to let down our guard. We will be maintaining our current policies for as long as necessary to protect the safety of our patients, team members, and all of our families.
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We will continue to update our website as well as our Facebook Page as we continue through the multiple stages of reopening. Below is a video outlining what to expect from your first visit during our first phase of reopening.
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June 4, 2020 @ 5:30PM
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After a successful first week back we are happy to report everyone on our emergency list has been contacted and scheduled. We have also scheduled those affected the first week of the closure. We will be continuing our calls to reschedule patients over the coming days. If you haven't heard from us yet, we will be in touch soon!
When scheduling appointments our receptionists will review a few screening questions. A questionnaire will also need to be filled out when you arrive for your appointment that will need to be signed by a parent or guardian for anyone under the age of 18. The form can be downloaded below and printed at home. Alternatively we have copies of the form available at our screening desk.
Our June 1st update below highlights some of the many steps we are taking to help ensure the safety of our patients, team, and families. We are also posting daily updates on Facebook with more focused descriptions of some of these new policies and procedures.
If you haven't heard from us to schedule your next appointment we will be in touch soon. Thank you all for your patience during this time. We're excited to be back!
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Please aim to arrive at your scheduled appointment 5 minutes early and give us a call at 613-731-1961 upon your arrival in the parking lot. You can read below about the steps we are taking during our phase 1 of opening to help keep our patients, team, and families safe.
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We will continue to update our website as well as our Facebook Page as we continue through the multiple stages of reopening. Below is a video outlining what to expect from your first visit during our first phase of reopening.
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June 1, 2020 @ 10AM
Dear Patients,
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With the release of updated guidelines from the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario to reflect the Chief Medical Officer of Health of Ontario's directive 2 we are able to start seeing patients again! As we re-open the doors to our clinic, we will be taking a cautious and phased approach. The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority and as a result we are working to meet and exceed the guidelines set by the RCDSO. Changes will be temporary, and we hope to return to normal operations soon. Here’s what to expect for your next appointment during PHASE 1 (Emergencies and Urgent Care).
Appointments will be scheduled in order of clinical priority as determined by Drs Hickman, Habibi, and Hickman. Our reception staff will call all of our patients to book their appointments. During this scheduling call a pre-appointment Covid-19 screening questionnaire will be reviewed. As you can imagine we have quite a few calls to make so we appreciate your understanding during this busy time.
To help us efficiently schedule all patient appointments, please do not call the clinic for appointment bookings. Not everyone will be able to be seen at our first available appointment. We will get to you soon.
Preparing for your appointment:
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All patients and visitors to the clinic are asked to wear a face mask. Please ensure you have one ready to wear at the clinic. IF you do not have a mask, we can provide a reusable/washable mask for you to keep free of charge.
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We are asking that only one parent or family member accompany a patient (when needed). Additional friends and family will be asked to wait for the patient outside.
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Please plan to arrive at your appointment 10 minutes early.
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Our toothbrushing station is temporarily closed. Please brush your teeth ahead of your appointment.
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When you arrive for your appointment:
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If you have driven to the clinic, park, but do not exit your vehicle. Call us on 613-731-1961 to alert us of your arrival
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You will be asked to wait in your vehicle until the clinic is ready to see you. You will receive a call or be directed by a staff member when you should proceed to the clinic.
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Please respect 2m physical distancing guidelines in the clinic and on the stairwell
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As much as possible, please do not bring bulky items to your appointment
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As you enter the clinic:
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You will be asked health screening questions specific to COVID-19
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You will be offered hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes for any objects or devices you may be carrying in your hands
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Your temperature will be recorded with a forehead thermometer
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Once cleared, you will be asked to wait in a designated area until called by a clinician.
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During your appointment:
You will notice temporary differences in how we are dressed, how you are greeted, and other processes. These modifications are in place to protect staff and patients, maintain physical distancing when possible, and keep appointments on-time during this busy period.
You’ll see all of our staff in face masks and other personal protective equipment:
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Our receptionists will be wearing surgical masks
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Clinical staff in the main operatory where non-aerosol procedures are performed will be wearing gowns, face masks, and face shields
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Clinical staff conducting aerosol procedures in closed consultation rooms will be wearing gowns, full-face respirators, and face-shields.
After your appointment:
Please do not stop at reception to book your next appointment. To minimize the number of people in the clinic at one time, please proceed directly to the exit. Our receptionist will contact you via phone to book your next appointment.
Should you develop any COVID-19 symptoms in the 14 days following your appointment, please contact us immediately.
Other safety measures:
Throughout this interruption, we’ve been working hard to add more safety measures for our patients and staff, one of the biggest upgrades has been to our HVAC system. We have added a five stage filter as well as an in-line UV lights into the air management system to disinfect circulated air.
Reception and waiting areas are wiped down with disinfectant every 30 minutes. Patients are monitored throughout their appointment to keep them from touching walls, surfaces, or objects.
As always, dental chairs and patient areas are disinfected after every patient following standard procedures.
Our primary goal throughout this time is to see all of our patients as safely and efficiently as possible. The safety of our patients, staff, and family is our primary goal. As always, we are meeting and exceeding every guideline set by the Ontario Ministry of Health, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario, and Ontario Public Health.
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We are working hard to get through this challenge and will be in touch with you soon to schedule your next appointment. We will update this page as we enter Phase 2.