Dentist Visits & Coronavirus

Going to the dentist as COVID-19 restrictions are eased

After more than a month, Tecumseh Ridge Dental will return to scheduling patients for routine and cosmetic dental procedures after being limited to only providing urgent care dentistry. Even though many procedures were considered elective dental procedures, it doesn’t mean that they are not medically necessary, and we are here to improve your oral health.

Timeline for easing Coronavirus restrictions at our Dental Office

You can call us anytime to schedule an appointment for May 1 or after for any procedure considered routine or elective. We will begin seeing patients for cleanings, routine procedures and cosmetic treatments on May 1. We will periodically review the situation and follow the governor’s recommendations regarding easing restrictions in phases. If you are interested in what the current COVID-19 statistics are for Oklahoma, please click here. The city of Norman has its own reopening plan, and we adhere to both.

You can call us now or anytime if you are experiencing a toothache and are in need of urgent dental care. PRIOR TO MAY 1, IF YOU HAVE A TOOTHACHE OR NEED URGENT CARE DENTISTRY, YOU CAN GO TO THE DENTIST. We continue to serve you with emergency services now and always. Please don’t hesitate to call us at 405-85 SMILE (405-857-6453) or schedule online here.

Moreover, we can schedule phone consultations to help you evaluate any dental related issues, especially if you are not sure whether it is safe to see a dentist because you are part of the population considered vulnerable.

What we are doing to keep you safe during your dental visit?

We adhere to all recommendations by the CDC and local health departments to protect our community, and we are stepping up our already high sanitary and health standards. Moreover, there will be no wait times in our waiting area. All patients will be immediately placed in a treatment room. We have also spaced out our scheduling to avoid waiting times and to allow extra time in between patients for clean-up and disinfecting. We also have a separate surgical unit that we are using to provide additional isolation.

As we begin to treat patients who have had their procedures postponed, we will continue to follow proper safety measures in our dental practice and treatment rooms, which include frequent disinfecting of spaces, frequent handwashing and wearing personal protective equipment. Our treatment rooms and surgical unit have always been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to specifically control the spread of infection through the use of hospital-grade disinfectants.

All safety measures to protect our patients and staff will remain in place until further notice. 

COVID-19 screening questions

We may ask you a number of questions prior to you coming in. Here are some of these questions:

  • 1)  Do you have a fever or have you experienced a fever within the past 14 days?
  • 2)  Does anyone close to you have a fever or have they experienced a fever in the past 14 days?
  • 3)  Have you or anyone close to you experienced a recent onset of respiratory problems, such as a cough
    or difficulty in breathing within the past 14 days?
  • 4)  Are you showing symptoms of COVID-19? Symptoms include:
    • Cough – wet or dry
    • Fever
    • Shortness of Breath
    • Sore Throat
    • Muscle/Body Aches
    • Nausea/Vomiting
    • Fatigue
    • A recent loss of taste or smell
  • 5)  Have you, or anyone you have come into contact with, travelled out of state within the last 14 days?
  • 6)  Have you, or anyone you have come into contact with, travelled outside of the country in the last 21 days?
  • 7)  Have you come into contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19?
  • 8)  Have you been tested for COVID-19, with either a positive or negative result?
  • 9)  Do you have an autoimmune disorder or are you on an immunosuppressive medication or steroids?
  • 10)  Are you diabetic?
  • 11)  Have you been diagnosed or treated for a heart or lung related disease within the past 12 months?
  • 12)  Have you been diagnosed or treated for cancer in the past 12 months?
  • 13)  Do you currently smoke or vape or have you stopped those activities within the past 2 years?
  • 14)  Persons over 65 are at a higher risk.

If you think you may have Covid-19 symptoms, please speak with your primary care provider or call the Norman Regional COVID-19 hotline at 405-515-4328.

How to prepare for your first dentist visit after Coronavirus restrictions?

Please share any concern that you may have with our team. To avoid additional time at our office, you can download forms at home and fill them out and bring them to the office. Bring your insurance information and one form of ID.

You can also help by following these recommendations:

  • Temperature screenings before you come in 
  • Please consider not bringing somebody to your appointment to wait in the waiting room, unless you need a ride home.
  • Wearing a mask to your appointment
  • Adhere to handwashing guidelines
  • Please talk to us if you have any concerns

Help stop the spread of COVID-19

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Stand about six feet from other people.
  • Stay at home as much as possible.
  • Wear a mask when in public.

In the meantime, remember routine dental care may be voluntary, but is medically necessary. So don’t put off your dental care any longer. Moreover, toothaches and emergencies don’t stop during pandemics. If you are experiencing a dental emergency, call us at 405-857-6453.