From Dr. Fred Longo and Dr. Meghann Dietz

Your overall health and wellness has always been our highest priority. We appreciate the growing concern with COVID-19 within our communities. After evaluating the most current information and reviewing all published guidelines, we remain confident in our ability to provide dental care in a safe and healthy environment at Longo Dietz Orthodontics.

 
We are implementing the following additional precautions and recommendations to our patients and team members in light of COVID-19.

1. We recommend any patient stay home if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

• Use your best judgment. If you are sick, we will help you reschedule.  If you are uncertain, please call our office prior to your appointment.
• If you attend your appointment and would feel most comfortable in a private room prior to the start of your appointment, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your request.

2. We will maintain a clean and safe environment and continue to comply with OSHA and CDC infection control guidelines.

• We have standard protocols in place to disinfect all surfaces and patient contact areas. We sterilize or safely dispose of all instruments and products used during patient care. We utilize personal protective equipment (e.g. masks, gloves, safety glasses) to keep you and team members safe.
• We have reviewed the procedures for proper hand hygiene, reinforced their importance, and encouraged accountability between team members. 
• We have expanded and increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfection of all common areas and facilities. 
• We have temporarily removed items that pose a risk for cross-contamination (e.g. magazines, toys, and books) from our common areas.

3. We support a healthy work environment for our employees..

• We have requested our team to not be present at our office if they are experiencing symptoms. To support our team in this effort, we are providing two weeks of additional paid sick leave to all team members.

We are closely monitoring updates from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and the American Dental Association and will continue to seek guidance from these agencies and local public health officials. With new information, we will make the necessary adjustments to our operations and will keep you informed of any changes.

Thank you for your continued trust and confidence in the care you receive at Longo Dietz Orthodontics.  If you have questions or concerns, please get in touch. We’re in this together and here to help!    

FAQ

Q: I have an appointment coming up, do I still have it?

A: At this time all appointments are cancelled and intend on being rescheduled at a later date. You will not be penalized for this cancellation. We are doing our best to update you all with information regarding our response to the virus via text messages, emails, our website, and social media. There seems to be a problem with our reminders that are labeled phone calls, so if you receive phone calls, please contact our office to opt into text or email.

Q: Can I reschedule my cancelled appointment, now? 

A: Due to the uncertainty of the situation, we are not yet rescheduling appointments in light of the fluidity of closures and delays. We are planning on being in touch with all patients with cancelled appointments via text messages and emails, website, and social media, and will get you in as soon as possible. Thank you for understanding.

Q: Is it okay for the appointments to go longer than my next scheduled appointment?

A: Yes! Our brackets and wires are a non-fatiguing system and will always be working.

Q: Is the office open for regular hours?

A: Unfortunately, we are not open for regular hours. Our hours are currently 9 am – 1 pm, Monday-Friday with two assistants available.

Q: Can I still make payments?

A: Yes, you can! We encourage you to keep up with payments as best you can. You can call during our office hours to make a credit card payment on your account, send a check in the mail to address of the office you attend, or pay in person (but we ask you call us first before doing this option).

Q: I have a bracket off my tooth. Can I get it fixed?

A: We are unable to re-bond brackets at this time. We ask that if you have it in your possession, please bring it the next time you are in the office. If it is still on the wire, the best we can do is remove it and sterilize and keep the bracket in your chart. Please give our office a call to do the latter of the two options.

Q: I have run out rubber bands, can I get more? (same with wax)

A: Yes! You can call our office and we can either mail them to you or you can pick them up at one of our offices. **Please do not order rubber bands on amazon (: **

Q: I have Invisalign and I am on my last set of trays. What should I do?

A: If you know you have more trays with us, please call our office and we can assist you. If this is your last set of trays, continue use of the last trays to keep the retention until we can see you again for evaluation.

Q: The wire came out of the very last brace in the back of my mouth and the wire is poking me. What do I do?

A: This is something we commonly encounter and you can save a trip to office to try to help yourself first. Sterilize a nail clipper, cuticle cutter or anything that can cut a wire and cut the wire at the second brace. It is likely that the wire will come out again if it placed back in the very last brace so cutting it to the second to last brace will not deter your treatment. If this problem continues please call our office.

Have a question that is not here? Give us a call!

Be well.