Greetings Dr. Rick Jow Orthodontics Patients and Families!
CHANGE IS HERE! We are re-opening Dr. Rick Jow Orthodontics
We miss the smiles, the laughter and the relationships with all of you and are excited to open our doors again. We are preparing to resume office hours on Monday, June 1st, while following guidelines from the Center for Disease Control, American Dental Association, California State Dental Board and the Santa Clara County Department of Health. Due to new guidelines and recommendations, we are taking extra steps to ensure the health and safety of everyone who enters our office and our team.
These are the additional precautions and measures in place so that we can continue to provide you with safe and timely care.
Safety First
- Minimize contact: Limited number of people in the office. If you will be accompanying your children to the appointment, we ask that you allow them to come into the office on their own and wait in the car during their appointment. We are trying to minimize the exposure of our patients in treatment. We’ll ask for the cell phone of the driver or parent waiting in the car so we can let you know when we are ready to seat your child, update you after the appointment and schedule a follow up visit.
- All books, magazines, guessing contests and toys are removed from the lobby.
- The toothbrushing station is closed. Please floss and brush your teeth at home before coming to the office. We’re happy to give you toothbrushes to use at home.
- All communication will be electronic to email or text. To minimize your contact within the office, we’ll connect with you before your appointment to get electronic signatures for: medical history updates, consent forms, referrals to other specialists, etc. Please fill out any forms at home and scan it back to us or take a picture on your phone of the completed form and email it to us at schedule@braceline.com or text to (408) 641-5113.
Treatment Progress
- Unfortunately, everyone’s treatment will be delayed. We are picking up from our last day of active patient care, and appointments will be scheduled starting with those appointments from March 16, 2020. Everyone’s appointment will be pushed back the 10 weeks we were SIP. All previously scheduled appointments in June and July are cancelled.
Before Your Appointment
- Please fill out a COVID-19 Questionnaire Form and a Consent to treat Form. Please complete and submit these forms within 24 hours of your appointment. We are unable to see patients unless these forms are received.
- Supplemental Informed Consent in the Era of COVID-19 – This form only needs to be submitted once, before your first scheduled appointment
- COVID-19 Health Questionnaire – This form needs to be submitted before each appointment
- If you or your child are mildly sick with a cold or fever, please stay home until everyone in your household has completely recovered. We can monitor your treatment with “at-home” photos or with a virtual meeting if you are unable to come into the office.
- If you need to cancel or change an appointment it is imperative to let us know as soon as possible, as it is appreciated if we offer another patient the opportunity to be seen.
Entering the Office
- Please wear a mask when entering our office. Only patients wearing a mask are permitted entry to the office. We’re happy to demonstrate to patients the proper way to put on and remove their mask.
- We will dispense hand sanitizer, take the patient’s temperature (please avoid drinking anything hot or cold 30 minutes prior to your appointment) and have the patient rinse with 1.5% hydrogen peroxide before being seated.
- The restrooms will not be available for patient use, unless it is an emergency.
- A minimum of 6 feet between patients per current social distancing recommendations.
- You’ll see us wearing masks underneath our face shields. There will be a see-through barrier between all our team members and our patients. Most of the other COVID PPE guidelines were already standard practice in our office.
- Air Filtration: HEPA filtration and air purification units are placed throughout the office.
Exiting the Office
- If you cannot make your next appointment yourself, please go out to the car and have your parent or person who brought you come in to make your next appointment.
A Shout Out
- Thank you to the essential workers in our practice that have been serving our community while the rest of us have been sheltering in place. High fives to grocery staff, all delivery personnel, healthcare staff and service industry staff. You all rock!
Until we can resume active patient care, please call us at (408-266-0424) if you are in pain, have facial swelling, or any questions about your treatment. We’re still here for you! Thank you for being a part of our practice and thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Stay healthy and I look forward to seeing everyone soon,
Dr. Rick Jow