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April 21, 2020

What to Expect at Your Visit During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As recommended by the ADA and mandated by the State of Louisiana as of April 20, 2020, dentists nationwide have postponed elective procedures and are concentrating on emergency dental care. This will allow us to provide safe dental services for our emergency patients and alleviate the burden that dental emergencies would place on hospital emergency departments.

In order for us to provide safe dental services to ensure that there will be no danger to our staff, patients, and community, we have made some changes to our protocols:

Every patient, who’s in need of safe dental services, will be screened by telephone, text monitoring systems, or a video conference before each appointment.
- If you are having a dental emergency or time sensitive procedures and do not have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, you will be scheduled to be seen.
- If you are having a dental emergency and are exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19, you will be referred to emergency care where appropriate Transmission-Based Precautions are available.
- If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, we will request for lab results to ensure home isolation has been completed.
Before we perform safe dental services, the patient’s temperature will be measured during check in. Any patient showing a temperature of >99°F, will be rescheduled.
Patients who need safe dental services are encouraged to come alone; but if a guardian is necessary, only one guardian is allowed in the clinic. The guardian is also subjected to having his/her temperature measured. If the guardian exhibits a temperature of >99°F, he/she will not be allowed to stay.
We ask that patients use the provided hand sanitizers when entering the office.
Before we provide our safe dental services, patients will be asked to complete “COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Dental Treatment Notice and Acknowledgment of Risk” Form and “COVID-19 Patient Disclosure” Form.
Patients will be asked to practice social distancing while in office. To reduce the number of patients waiting for our safe dental services, we ask for you to check in and then return to your vehicle or wait outside where you can be contacted by mobile phone when it is your turn to be seen.
Patients will be asked to wash their hands at the start and end of treatment.
Patients will also be asked to rinse with a hydrogen peroxide mouth rinse before the commencement of treatment to reduce the possible viral load virus in the aerosols created during treatment. This will also help ensure that we only provide our clients with safe dental services.
During treatment, staff members will be wearing more Personal Protective Equipment than you are accustomed to, which will be of standard practice during these times.

The use of Rubber Dams or Isodry will also be used during our safe dental services to reduce the amount of aerosol and splatter.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to management or you can email pandemicplanning@bamgp.com

April 9, 2020

Dear patients,

In continuing efforts to prevent the spread of the virus, the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry has extended the dental emergency services directive until at least April 30^th, 2020.

This means that Affordable Smiles will continue to only serve patients with dental emergencies by appointment request at 3 locations:

Affordable Smiles
Baton Rouge
(225) 753-5303
2515 O’Neal Lane Suite 1
Baton Rouge, LA 70816.

Exceptional Dental
Mid City-New Orleans
(504) 900-1195
4141 Bienville St. Suite 105
New Orleans, LA 70119

Exceptional Dental
Marrero (Ames location)
(504) 340-9696
2521 Ames Blvd # C
Marrero, LA 70072

We appreciate your patience and continuing support during this time. If you require more information on how you can keep yourself and family members safe, we encourage you to follow the recommendations of the CDC at www.cdc.gov. If you have any questions in regard to our Pandemic Plan and preparation for operations in the face of COVID-19, please email PandemicPlanning@bamgp.com.

March 17, 2020

Dear patients,

We are committed to continuing to do our part to prevent the spread of the virus.

For the safety of our patients and staff, and as mandated by the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry, we will be temporarily closing offices from Wednesday, March 18^th until at least Thursday, April 16^th. However, we have made accommodations to tend to dental emergencies and essential dental needs at the following locations:

Affordable Smiles
Baton Rouge
(225) 753-5303
2515 O’Neal Lane Suite 1
Baton Rouge, LA 70816.

Exceptional Dental
Mid City
(504) 900-1195
4141 Bienville St. Suite 105
New Orleans, LA 70119

Exceptional Dental
Marrero (Ames location)
(504) 340-9696
2521 Ames Blvd # C
Marrero, LA 70072

We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we get through these difficult times together.

If you require more information on how you can keep yourself and family members safe, we encourage you to follow the recommendations of the CDC at www.cdc.gov. If you have any questions in regards to our Pandemic Plan and preparation for operations in the face of COVID-19, please email PandemicPlanning@bamgp.com.

March 12, 2020

Dear patients:

Over the last few weeks, we have been monitoring the rapid spread and rising cases of COVID-19 – the Coronavirus.

News headlines about the pandemic have certainly been alarming and the world’s response is evolving daily.

As a healthcare provider, it is important that Affordable Smiles is doing our part to help stop the spread of the virus while maintaining our responsibilities to our community and employees. Please be assured that the health and safety of our employees and our commitments to you remain at the forefront of our planning.

As one of your healthcare providers, we would like to share that Affordable Smiles enacted our Pandemic Plan as of March 01,2020. We will continue to adapt our approach, actions, and policies as new governmental and health authority guidance comes to light. The following are some of the actions we have taken to date:

Perform phone screenings of our patients to allow for rescheduling of patients that have been or may have been exposed to COVID-19 or exhibit flu-like symptoms.
Perform enhanced cleanings in our facilities with disinfectants in addition to our normal sterilization process.
Postponing our staff events of more than 50+ attendees.
Practicing social distancing within out facilities, requiring sick team members to stay at home.
Requiring patients to sanitize before being received in the clinic.
Finally, we are informing all of our employees with up-to-date guidance and information to keep themselves and their families safe.