Here’s What to Expect at Your Next Appointment
Our Columbia and Waterloo office are open! Our priority has always been– and will always be, keeping you, our team, and our community safe.
We are so excited to see your smiling faces!
Things will work a little differently for a while. We’ll be taking some extra precautions to help ensure the safety of our patients, staff, and community as a whole. But don’t worry– you’ll still be getting the same high quality care as always.
As we prepare to provide treatment again, we would like to share with you the protocol that we will be implementing. We will continue to follow guidelines for preventing the spread of any infectious disease, as outlined by the standards set by the CDC, OSHA, American Association of Orthodontists, and other local professional organizations. We utilize hospital-level sterilization techniques–always. We will continue to be diligent in our efforts to keep our office safe for you and your family.
Prior to Your Appointment
Please brush your teeth prior to arriving at our office. Our toothbrushing stations are currently closed.
What to Bring
A mask or mouth covering 😷
To be seen in the office, you will be required to wear a mask. At this time, no one is allowed in our office without a mask or mouth covering.
When you arrive
You will notice signs that will direct you to scan a QR code to check in. The QR code will direct you to this link: cvdsafe.com/hjo where you will be asked to complete a short pre-screening. Once you complete the wellness survey, our office will be notified that you are here.
We will reply with instructions when we are ready to see you. When we are ready for you, one of our awesome team members will notify you with a text message or by signaling for you at the door. Please keep an eye out for us.
In the Office
You can expect all of our team members to be wearing PPE throughout your time here. We will be wearing goggles, a face mask, and a lab coat.
Patients should enter the office alone. We ask that at this time, parents and siblings wait in the car. In an effort to keep our space as safe and sanitary as possible, our waiting room will remain closed at this time. Don’t worry– it won’t be that way forever! A little extra caution at this time makes all of us safer.
Once the patient enters the office, they’ll make a brief stop at the toothbrushing station to wash their hands and rinse with Colgate Peroxyl.
Once the appointment is complete, a staff member will walk the patient back to the front of the office, where they will use hand sanitizer again prior to leaving. Our team will reach out via phone to discuss the appointment, next steps, and to schedule your next appointment.
Parents: If you have any specific concerns you’d like us to address during the appointment, please feel free to contact us prior to their appointment or initiate a Virtual Checkup.
After Your Appointment
For the safety and health of our patients and staff, we are kindly asking that you monitor your own health and of those you are in close contact with for a period of two weeks following your visit to our office. During that two week period, should you or someone that you have had contact with, develop symptoms of Covid-19, please call our office and report this so that we can take appropriate precautions.
Scheduling
We must limit the number of people we have in the office at a time. Please know, we understand the urgency with wanting to continue your treatment and we want to be able to provide that for you. While the nature of our services does not allow for social distancing between clinician and patient, we are practicing social distancing between patients, taking every possible precaution to prevent exposure, and keeping foot traffic in our office to a minimum. In light of these changes, it may take longer to get your appointment rescheduled. We ask for your patience as we navigate this time together.
We will modify and change all processes based on the recommendations of our State, the AAO, and local governing officials. Please check back for updates or reach out to us with any questions.
You can count on us to continue to provide orthodontic care in the safest way possible. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again, welcoming you back to our office, and having fun giving you a beautiful smile!