May 12, 2020

Dear Patients and Families,

We are incredibly happy to be able to get back to work and see our patients who we have missed over the past few months!  We would like to update you on our office, its measured re-opening, and the steps we are taking to ensure we do everything possible to keep our patients and our team healthy.  We are going to take a phased approach towards our reopening to minimize the number of patients in the office.  This will allow us to adhere to federal social distancing guidelines, and to better protect our patients and staff.

Here is a general overview:

• Prior to your appointment,  please fill out the informed consent form.
  
• On the day of your appointment, please fill out the health questionnaire form.
• Everyone who enters the office will be required to fill out these forms so that we can best protect our team and other patients.

Visits

• When you arrive for your appointment, please stay in your car. Please call our office upon your arrival (310) 888-1885. Once the treatment room is ready, we will contact you so that the patient can now come into the office.  One of our staff members will meet the patient at the front door.
• Only the patient that is being treated will be allowed to enter the office. The only exception for this will be for young patients. Of those, only one parent/caregiver may accompany the patient. Absolutely no other family members or friends will be allowed inside.
• Please bring your own mask and wear it to your appointment. Federal guidelines for social distancing and wearing masks in businesses continue, so bring the mask you have been using. If you do not have your own, we will provide one.
• We will ask all patients entering the office to use hand sanitizer when they arrive.
• Your temperature will be taken by staff using a touchless thermometer. If your temperature is over 100 degrees farenheit, you will be asked to leave and not return for the specified 14-day self-quarantine requirement. To avoid any need to reschedule, please take your own temperature prior to traveling to the office.
• Maintain the 6-foot social distancing guidelines when in the office until seated in the treatment chair.
• Please brush your teeth before coming to the office.
• We ask for understanding while we will try to address all your treatment needs during your visit. Individuals with multiple broken brackets may not have everything completed during this visit due to strict scheduling times.
• After their appointment is over, a staff member will call the person waiting in the car that the appointment has been completed, along with an update. If you or Dr. Tartakow has any questions or concerns, Dr. Tartakow will ask the patient to call you on speakerphone while in the chair or he will call you during a break.
• To schedule your next appointment, we will ask you to call the front desk after the appointment is over.

Reception and Team:

• Our reception area has been re-organized to allow maximum social distance even though we hope to keep the area clear of patients and parents as much as possible
• Our team will be protected by all the necessary PPE, and the whole office will be disinfected and cleaned regularly.
• We will take the temperatures of every team member, including the doctors, immediately upon arrival at work, and after lunch. Any team member at 100 F or above will go home.
• Every team member will answer the health questionnaire that our patients are required to answer and will do so every day. If any questions disqualify the team member, they will be sent home following the same procedures we are asking our patients to follow.

We sincerely appreciate all your understanding and although things may be different for a time, we know you will still feel our dedication and commitment to your health and beautiful smiles during your orthodontic care.  If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to call or email us.  We are looking forward to seeing each one of our patients and making everyone smile again!!!

Sincerely,

Dr. Gregg Tartakow and staff