COVID-19

Updated - April 2022

Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, we made the difficult decision to close our office on March 17, 2020.  At that time it was simply not safe to treat our patients.  After weeks of preparation and reorganization we re-opened for routine patient care on May 11, 2020. 

While we were closed our team worked together behind the scenes to prepare a safe environment for our patients and ourselves.  We had regular virtual office meetings, developed strategies to ensure everyone’s safety and adapted our office space appropriately.  Our doctors participated in numerous continuing education courses dealing with the effects of the coronavirus.  As president of the Rhode Island Association of Orthodontists, Dr. Greg collaborated with his colleagues on the local and national level to develop a unified approach and determine what is best for our patients and our profession. 

By following current guidelines of the Rhode Island Department of Health, American Dental Association and Centers for Disease Control we have established strict safety protocols that we employ everyday.  

• Anyone entering our office will receive a short wellness screening and be given hand sanitizer

• The CDC has determined that COVID transmission level in our area is low.  Therefore, following the CDC recommendations, masks are currently optional in our office.

• Increased daily attention to disinfection of commonly touched surfaces

• Established a contact-free check-in system

• Added multiple air purification units with HEPA-13 air filters to maintain clean air

• UV lighting to reduce virus and bacteria levels in the air

• Maintaining social distancing in our treatment area by separating patients

• Using a private room with air purification for aerosol-generating procedures

• Use of additional personal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks, face shields and protective clinical jackets

• Added a protective barrier at our reception desk

• Increased frequency of our existing professional commercial cleaning services

Two years later, we have not let our guard down.  We have created an atmosphere of health and well-being within our office.

• All of our team members are fully vaccinated against COVID-19

• We have a supply of rapid antigen COVID tests that we administer to team members and patients as needed

• There has never been any contact tracing concerns or COVID transmission related to any employee or patient interaction within our office

• We have passed all Department of Health inspections

We instituted and continue to use a new process of welcoming patients into the office.  These changes allow us to reduce the number of people in the office, minimize the possibility of cross-contamination, follow social distancing guidelines and allow time for us to thoroughly clean and disinfect the treatment areas.

• The safety of your vehicle will be our waiting room now.  When you arrive in our parking lot please stay in your car and call the office. 

• We kindly ask that only the patient enter the office if possible.  If you have a young child or this is your first visit to our office, please let us know and we’ll be happy to accommodate a parent or guardian. 

• Upon your arrival to the office a team member will ask a few short wellness questions.

• Please social distance while in the office whenever possible.

• Our brushing station and restroom are not available, so please brush your teeth before your appointment.

• Once the appointment is over, we will send the patient back outside and we will call their parent or guardian to review the treatment that was performed and schedule the next appointment.