The Epic Team in Quarantine
Deb Caulfield • April 22, 2020
We have a lot to be thankful for amidst the harrowing reality of the COVID pandemic. While it would be easy to focus on empty dental chairs and the closed sign on the door, at Epic Dentistry we are counting our blessings (the gifts of health and time) and focusing on the future.
Like every non-essential business in the state, we halted operations in March and hunkered down to do our part to flatten the curve. During this ‘down-time’ we are keeping the staff actively engaged and using the time to make improvements in the practice, expand team skills, and—most important—align the team around clear preparedness measures for when we reopen our doors in the new post-COVID reality.
So what is everyone doing to keep busy and be productive while socially isolating?
As a hygienist, Jordan’s job involves probing in people’s mouths, so she had to get creative when transitioning to ‘work from home’. Jordan spun up a new Insta page for Epic Dentistry @myepicsmile and started a feature called Jordan’s Journal with at-home tips on oral care. In just a few weeks the page has over 100 followers and growing.
Dr. Jon has spent his days building online curriculum for other dentists. Since the start of stay at home orders, he has recorded close to 20 hours of training content and has presented at global summits to thousands of dentists on topics of airway, sleep and breathing.
Even the administrative staff has kept busy during the stay at home orders. Tonie has kept in close contact with our patients, keeping them abreast of schedule changes and has been looking into new, creative financing and coverage options for when business resumes. As a brand new dental assistant hired only two weeks before the COVID orders, Sammie has had plenty of time to train and get ready for reopening—and is looking forward to meeting and greeting our awesome patients!
Like many business out there, the team uses weekly zoom calls to collaborate and stay in touch. Increasingly, the focus on these calls is shifting to preparedness measures for reopening—how we will implement distancing, patient screening, and of course maintaining our very high standard for infectious disease control.
What we want people to focus on vis-à-vis dentistry as they venture outside their homes in the coming weeks and begin to cautiously go back to life as usual, is two-fold:
- First, that oral health is strongly connected to your immune system function. In a time when it is critical to keep our immune systems in tip top shape, it is important not to compromise oral care.
- And second, something we have quoted a lot lately, the only place safer than our dental office is your own home! A quality dental practice (such as Epic Dentistry) by design is sterile and equipped for high-contagion infectious disease control.
We are expecting the tough questions from our patients, but we are ready and eager to answer them as we re-open our doors on Monday, May 4.
One of our valued patients will be brightening their smile with our Glo teeth whitening and 'white diet' take-home gift package. With Glo's guided light technology you can brighten up to 12 shades with no messy trays or whitening strips. There's no cost to enter. All you have to do is share your experience at Epic Dentistry with friends and family. If we provided excellent care for your TMJ pain, sleep issues, or general dentistry needs, let your friends know about it and earn more chances to win!
What are the signs telling you? (book your hygiene visit today!)
One of the aspects we truly appreciate about our profession is the opportunity to reunite with our patients biannually during hygiene visits. These dental cleanings play a crucial role in maintaining your oral hygiene, complementing your everyday oral care routine of brushing and flossing. If you've concluded your visit with what we call a 'healthy visit'—indicating that your gums and teeth are in excellent condition—this is indeed a wonderful outcome! However, you may question whether it is necessary to continue scheduling appointments every six months and what consequences may arise from skipping your cleanings. ๏ปฟ Regular dental hygiene visits are important for several reasons. โ๏ธ Preventing Tooth Decay: Routine hygiene visits are the best way to detect early signs of tooth decay or cavities, helping to address these issues before they become more serious. Gum recession as you age is normal, but it's important to keep a watch because as gums recede it can lead to decay at the root of the tooth. โ๏ธ Gum Disease Prevention: Your gums are healthy. Yay! Let's keep them that way. Regular cleanings help prevent gum disease, which can lead to more severe health problems if left untreated. โ๏ธ Oral Cancer Detection: Every dental visit at Epic Dentistry includes an oral cancer screening, enabling early detection and treatment if any abnormalities are found. โ๏ธ Plaque and Tartar Removal: Professional cleanings remove plaque and tartar buildup, which cannot be effectively removed through regular brushing and flossing. โ๏ธ Personalized Care: We have tested many of the over-the-counter oral products available and will provide personalized advice on proper oral care, including brushing, flossing, and diet, tailored to your specific needs. โ๏ธ Saving Money: Your regular visits for hygiene cleanings are preventative in nature. With every hygiene visit Doctor will do an exam to identify and address any early signs of a problem before it requires more extensive treatment which can be costly. โ๏ธ Overall Health: Issues in the mouth can contribute to or exacerbate other health issues like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections. At Epic Dentistry we are passionate about the oral-systemic link. Maintaining oral hygiene is the best way to ensure your overall health. Why wait? Schedule your hygiene visit now! We have immediate availability for new patients seeking the exceptional EPIC experience. Each visit includes a comprehensive examination, meticulous teeth and gum cleaning, necessary x-rays, oral cancer screening, and one-on-one time with Dr. Caulfield. Our unmatched expertise and advanced technology ensure a comfortable and high-quality care experience in the Denver metro area. Your new smile is just around the corner! Click below to request an appointment or call us at 303-972-2224 to see what last-minute openings are available.
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