We are now providing all general dentistry care!

To our West Ridge Family Dentistry family and prospective patients

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of our new and prospective patients back to our office. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, we have been operating as an emergency clinic, but we are now in the process of transitioning back to offering both emergency and routine services. We would like to thank all of our patients for their patience, kindness, and understanding during these unprecedented times.

Throughout these past weeks, we have continued to follow the strictest infection control and sterilization protocols as we always have to ensure the health and safety of our patients and staff. However, given the circumstances, we have been following modifications unique to the COVID-19 pandemic as laid out by our regulatory body, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO), in conjunction with the Ministry of Health. These specific recommendations can be found by clicking here.

As you may or may not be aware, dentists in Ontario are now able to provide elective treatment and hygiene therapy. We have made hygiene services available on a limited basis in compliance with modifications established by the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario (CDHO) and have begun contacting our previously scheduled patients. We will continue to modify our hygiene availability as guidelines develop in the coming weeks.

At West Ridge Family Dentistry here’s what we’re doing to keep you safe.

Before Your Appointment

• When you contact our office with a dental emergency or concern, our intake specialists will document the specifics of your concern and guide you through our patient medical health history. We encourage all new patients to complete and submit your confidential intake form online before your visit.
• They will then schedule a telephone conversation with our dentists, who will contact you directly with further guidance and to triage your symptoms. If it is recommended that you visit the office for an in-person examination and treatment, an appointment will be scheduled for you.

Upon Arrival at Your Appointment

• We kindly ask that you wear a mask to your appointment. If you do not have one, we will gladly provide one for you when you arrive. When you arrive at the office, we ask that you contact our intake specialists to advise of your arrival, as we are limiting the number of patients in our clinic at any given time.
• At this time, we ask that you be the only one to enter the office for your appointment, unless otherwise indicated.
• Once we are ready for you, we will guide you into the office. Our administrative staff will take your temperature, measure your oxygen levels, and complete a comprehensive COVID-19 screening questionnaire. You are then escorted to one of our treatment rooms.
• We ask that you do not touch any surfaces or equipment during your time with us, as it has all been disinfected in anticipation of your visit.

Our Protocols and What to Expect

• For all examinations, our dentists and dental assistants wear level 3 masks, gowns, caps, and gloves with eye protection.
• If your treatment procedure involves the generation of aerosols (i.e. air-water syringe, high-speed handpiece), our staff may then don a fitted N95 mask and face shield prior to the procedure.
• As outlined by the RCDSO, we currently allow an appropriate amount of “fallow time” following any aerosol-generating procedure; that is, the amount of time required for the treatment room to be left empty so that the aerosols can settle.
• Treatment rooms are disinfected according to previously-established protocols.
• We continue to modify this fallow time according to air changes per hour in each room.
• All non-treatment surfaces (i.e. countertops, patient washroom, reception area) are routinely sanitized throughout the day and after each use.
• We have installed a plexiglass barrier at our reception desk for the protection of our administrative staff.

We thank each of you very sincerely for your patience, trust, and understanding during these times. We continue to keep pace with current guidelines from the RCDSO and adapt as needed to ensure your safety. If you do have any dental concerns, please contact our office and we will schedule an appointment for you.

We look forward to seeing all of you soon!

Thank you,
Dr. Jerry Collins & Staff