smile blog

At docbraces, our patients are part of our family. So when our first provinces Manitoba and Alberta announced the reopening of orthodontic clinics following the widespread COVID-19 closures, the docbraces Smile Team did a little dance together (remotely 😉). We’re so excited that we’ll soon be able to see our patients in these two provinces.

Of course, our eagerness to get back to doing what we love most will not eclipse our collective duty as healthcare professionals to take all possible precautions to protect the health and safety of our patients, team members, and local communities.

docbraces smileSAFE: Safe Yesterday. Safe Today. Planning for Tomorrow.

Our doctors and leaders from across Canada aligned with health and dental authorities as we conducted extensive return-to-work planning over the past several weeks so that our clinic teams will be fully equipped to implement some key enhancements to our operating protocols as we reopen our doors to patients. Every team member has completed special docbraces smileSAFE COVID-19 training before returning to work so we can keep you healthy.

Our teams have always followed strict hygiene and sterilization practices as a matter of everyday protocol, so they were able to take on these new evidence-based measures and training with ease. Likewise, as other provinces begin to open up across the country, our other local teams will be ready and prepared to adjust to some new ways of doing things. Here are some of the new docbraces smileSAFE protocols you might see at your next appointment:

For our patients and their guardians:

• Everyone entering the clinic will complete a pre-screening and on-site screening
• They will be asked to wear a mask and use hand sanitizer as they enter
• Physical distancing will be in place throughout the clinic space
• Brushing will need to be done at home before you come in as our toothbrushing stations will be closed

For our teams and clinic spaces:

• Our teams will undergo the same pre-screening before entering the clinic
• An acrylic barrier has been installed at the reception desk
• Our clinical team may be wearing enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) — such as masks, face shields, and gowns — depending on the treatment being provided
• We’ve ramped up the cleaning schedule for our waiting area and other common spaces, and temporarily removed shared items such as magazines and game consoles

We Can’t Wait to See You!

As members of our family, your safety is our top priority. We've been preparing for this since the beginning: with universal safety precautions, infection control, and sterilization measures to keep you safe. Soon, after a very long wait and plenty of docbraces smileSAFE preparation, we will be able to resume doing what we do best: instilling confidence in our patients with beautiful, healthy smiles. See you in the clinic!

Dr. Bob Hatheway,

Chief Clinical Officer