 On November 10, 2020 it was reported: "To date, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 transmission or dental care-associated mortality for Dental Healthcare Professionals and their patients" Through advanced Personal Protective Equipment and meticulous disinfection and infection control protocols Dental Offices are able to offer comprehensive dental treatment during this ongoing pandemic. When you come to our office you will notice our adherence to strict safety measures to protect you during your dental treatment. We still try to adhere to our long standing policy of getting patients into the office with minimal waiting time. If you have any questions about coming to our office for your Dental Care please give us a call at 251-639-1853. We hope all is well with you and your families!
 We are now being allowed to transition into performing non-urgent dental procedures in addition to the emergency dental care that we have been able to offer. CDC, Board of Health, and Board of Dental Examiners guidelines will dictate new protocols for office preparation, patient interaction, and personal protective equipment. Over the next few weeks our office will carefully phase into addressing more of the dental needs of our patients. If you would like to make an appointment for needed dental care please call our office at 251-639-1853 and we will advise you of the changes that are required for your next dental visit. Please let us know if you have been sick, have a fever, have tested positive for Covid-19, or have been exposed to someone with Covid-19. We will modify our procedures as changes are made to CDC guidelines and we will, as always, take whatever measures we can to protect the health of our patients and our staff.
 As this pandemic continues to move across our country we are still being directed to only provide urgent dental care. We will continue to monitor this situation and make preparations to return to providing non-urgent care when we are advised by the authorities. When we are able to return we want to assure you that we will take steps to provide care in a safe environment for both our patients and our staff. IN RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE ALABAMA DENTAL ASSOCIATION, THE BOARD OF DENTAL EXAMINERS OF ALABAMA, THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION, AND UAB SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY, WE ARE POSTPONING ALL NON-URGENT DENTAL PROCEDURES IN OUR OFFICE.
iF YOU ARE A PATIENT OF RECORD IN OUR OFFICE AND HAVE AN URGENT DENTAL EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL US FIRST AND WE WILL ASSESS YOUR PROBLEM. WE WILL THEN ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT FOR YOU IF INDICATED. AS SOON AS WE ARE ADVISED TO BY THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES, WE WILL RESUME MAKING APPOINTMENTS FOR ELECTIVE PROCEDURES. For the safety of our dental care team, and other patients, we ask that you call our office prior to coming in for your appointment if you have a fever, cough, traveled outside of the country recently, or been in close proximity with an individual that has received a positive test result for the coronavirus. Otherwise, all healthy individuals should continue their normal routine, including keeping their upcoming dental appointments.
The American Dental Association has guidelines for frequency of Dental Radiographs (Xrays). The decision to take xrays should be made by the Dentist based on the individual patient's needs. Some patients without a history of Dental Caries may have xrays as infrequently as every 3 years.  Many Temporomandibular Disorders (TMJ, TMD) are still best treated with conservative therapy.4/23/2018  In May of 1988 I wrote a series of articles for the Mobile Press Register concerning causes and treatment for Jaw Disorders. Many of the treatment options discussed are still used today. Conservative therapy is usually effective and surgery is rarely needed to resolve most of these conditions. The first article discusses the causes and the second covers treatment options. I have scanned the articles and posted them on this blog as a reference.    Click image for more information Dental care is often put off because of concerns about the cost. Many people delay having preventive care or treating dental conditions until they can obtain Dental Insurance. The reality is that good Dental Care can be affordable with or without Dental Insurance. Dental Insurance premiums in many cases exceed the amount of dollar benefits that are actually spent by the Insurance Company on dental services. If your employer offers Dental Insurance as a tax exempt benefit it can certainly help offset some of the expenses of dental care especially preventive care. Purchasing individual Dental Insurance with your earned after tax dollars can often cost more than the actual benefits received and can also restrict your access to a limited number of Dentists. Having your teeth examined regularly can enable you to prevent and treat dental problems early at a significant decrease in cost. Even if you have put off Dental Treatment for a long time and you suspect that you need a lot of care, it is important to have this seen and evaluated by a Dentist. You may be surprised to learn that there may be some affordable options to treat your problems. Speak to your Dentist about your concerns about cost. Often there are conservative alternatives to treating your immediate needs allowing time for you to phase in more extensive treatment over time while alleviating your immediate pain and cosmetic concerns. Expensive Crowns can sometimes be avoided by using less expensive esthetic bonded fillings. Early dental caries can often be arrested, eliminating the need for fillings.  Click on image for more information If you have already been to a Dentist and have been told you need a lot of expensive care it may be in your best interest to seek a second opinion from another Dentist. You may find another Dentist who can offer you some conservative cost effective ways to handle your Dental needs.
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