Read chapter 42 here
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
The Hartjes Dental Clinic includes now the ubiquitous ‘sneeze screens’, plastic dividers that encourage separation between the staff and patients. One set faces the waiting room and another, larger one has been installed on the side where post-appointment business is conducted – payment, scheduling, etc. Almost all of the amenities in the waiting room – upholstered furniture, toys, magazine rack, coffee maker -- have been removed. Four uncomfortable-looking metal chairs, placed at an appropriate distance apart, give the room a stark quality.
The first order of business was having my temperature taken. Then I answered a questionnaire about my health: whether I had/am experiencing any COVID-like symptom, actual exposure to anyone with COVID, travel out of the state with the past 14 days. I was able to answer ‘no’ to all 10. I was also required to sign a release form. I didn’t read the entire one-page document, but I’m sure it had something to do with waiving my right to sue if I contact the virus. Not that I would do such a thing. It was my choice to keep the appointment. No one forced to get my teeth cleaned.
Kari, the hygienist who has cleaned my teeth since she started working for Hartjes in 2004, greeted me wearing a face mask and plastic shield. (Not her pictured here but close enough for illustrative purposes only.) Her mask must have been made of materials that provides extra level of protection because I sometimes had difficulty understanding what she said. Her
voice was unusually muffled, even for someone wearing a face mask. The plastic shield was likely a contributing factor. Dr. Brad was similarly attired, although he, like Kari, wore headgear, unlike the model in the photo.
Not surprisingly, Brad determined that I needed some follow-up work. Some of my front teeth are thinning and becoming brittle, so he’s going to reinforce them. (Not sure what this process involves, but it’ll take less than an hour.)
Despite the slew of recently rescheduled appointments, I would have been able to get in today, but I opted to wait until next Thursday. When I asked Kari about this during my cleaning, she confirmed that lots of people have postponed appointments on their own, some patients not wanting to schedule a cleaning no earlier than September. Based on the Zoom conversations that JoAnna and I have shared with The Usual Suspects and Kiwanis members (we met virtually last Thursday, our first meeting in 2 months ), JoAnna and I are much more willing to venture out than most of our friends and acquaintances.
And we continue to be doing just fine.
Read chapter 44 here
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