Today I was Patient #1 at the Elm Tree Dental Clinic after their 3-month closure: the guinea pig. It is definitely not business as usual. They are purposely limiting the number of appointments (only 3 patients today), and there are many new and enhanced protocols in place to keep patients and staff safe.
This is the new entrance to the clinic with Covid screening being done in the old garage to reduce the risk of an infected person entering the clinic. I'm guessing people kept their horses in here when this building was a hotel back in the late 1800s. Who could have imagined this?
Physical distancing requires space, and outdoor settings are safer than indoor ones. This is the clinic's new back yard gazebo, which will soon have tent walls with bug netting covered by a rainproof layer. There are lots of possible uses for an outdoor room during a pandemic. (Sadly, they won't be able to sit together around that table for lunch anymore.)
The guidelines allow Ontario dentists to use their judgement about which treatments are appropriate for which patients at this stage of the pandemic. Each office will reflect different decisions on that. 'Bent plans to take things slowly and not worry about making it financially viable for a while. Vulnerable people are still supposed to stay home so they should only get dental work if they have an emergency. Some treatments are riskier (mostly to the health care provider) than others so they may not be offered in the short term.
In spite of the weirdness of the new normal, 'Bent looked visibly relieved to be back in his comfort zone - fixing teeth instead of applying for government wage subsidies or trying to source N95 masks. I'm happy for him and for his staff, who have been working hard to get ready.
Sadly, the clinic's two canine employees are still on long term leave while the pandemic continues, and they were *seriously* miffed to be left at home!