Dear Exceptional Dentistry patients and families,
We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. We know these recent months have been challenging for many. We want you to know that we are here, we appreciate you, and we look forward to when we can see you again in our Dubuque dental office.
We welcomed patients back to routine dental care on May 18, 2020. If you have a previously scheduled appointment, we will be contacting you as many appointment times will be adjusted. Our office hours may be different for some time. Our summer office hours are 7:00 am- 3:00 pm Monday- Thursday.
As a team, we have educated ourselves on how to best serve our patients with an abundance of caution. Our office follows recommendations from the Iowa Dental Board, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
We have additional guidelines and protocols to ensure your safety:
- You will be contacted 48-72 hours prior to your appointment via phone, text, or email and asked a set of health-related questions. It is required that you complete this questionnaire. We will have to reschedule the appointment if unable to complete this step. Patients and their households must be symptom free for 2 weeks prior to an appointment.
- We are limiting the use of our waiting room. Remain in your car until we communicate with you to enter. Arrival procedures will guide you from your car to a treatment room.
- Please wear your own face mask into our office.
- A team member will meet you in the reception area, take your temperature, give you hand sanitizer or ask you to wash your hands, and take you to a treatment room.
- We ask that only the patient comes in and that no parents or siblings accompany the patient into the office. Of course, we understand there are situations where this may not work and we will be flexible such as for young children. Escorts must wear a face mask into the office and also complete the required health screening questionnaire, so please inform us ahead of time.
We have also implemented the following:
- HEPA + UV-C air filtration units
- Hospital grade sanitization with Hydrochlorus (HOCl) fogger
- Utilizing additional suctioning equipment
- Pretreatment mouth rinse to reduce germs
- All high touch spots in the office are cleaned frequently
- Our team members’ health is screened daily, and they are wearing enhanced PPE (gowns, masks, face shields).
As we reopen, we will prioritize patients who have pain or broken teeth. For patients with healthy teeth and gums and no urgent needs, we appreciate the understanding that your appointment may be pushed back to accommodate someone with an immediate dental concern. We are navigating these times the best that we can.
To request a high priority appointment, please email us at [email protected], text us at 563-556-2711 or request an appointment online.
We want you to know the safety of our team and patients is a top priority, and we are available to answer your questions. We stress the importance of coming to appointments on time and not late canceling especially if you have been prioritized and are taking the spot of someone else who wants to get in to see us.
We appreciate your cooperation, patience, understanding, and support at this time.
Best,
Dr. Kristen Berning, Dr. Alexia Oetken, Dr. Ted Murray and the Exceptional Dentistry team
4200 Asbury Rd
Dubuque, IA 52002
