As you prepare to re-open your practice after being closed for COVID-19, you will need to make a few adjustments to help keep your patients and team members safe. The ADA has created a Return to Work Interim Guidance Toolkit, which you can use for suggestions about what to do as you resume operations.
After you have defined the new policies you will be following, you will need to let your patients know about them. Take this opportunity to reassure patients that you are doing everything you can to safeguard their health and let them know how things will be different the next time they come in for treatment. Complete the following steps to notify patients about your new policies:
1 – Update your practice website with information about your new policies and reopening plan
- Describe how check-in will work so that patients know how things will be different and what to expect when they arrive.
- Tell patients what they should do before they arrive at the office, including filling out their forms online (where possible).
- List the symptoms of COVID-19 (refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for the latest COVID-19 symptom information), and encourage patients to contact the office and reschedule if they are experiencing any of those symptoms.
2 – Welcome Back Reassurance Letter
- Create a letter that will reassure your patients of your organization’s commitment to maintaining the most current infection control procedures. You can download a copy of the ADA’s sample Welcome Back Reassurance Letter from their Return to Work Interim Guidance Toolkit.
3 – Send communication to all of your patients to let them know about your reopening plan and new policies
- Once you have created your organization’s Welcome Back Reassurance Letter, send the letter to your patients. Click here to learn how to email all your patients at once with Dentrix Enterprise. Click here to learn how to create your welcome back letter in Dentrix Enterprise to mail to your patients.
