We will be reopening on Monday, May 18. Things will look a little different next time we see you but we can’t wait!
You will be asked some screening questions related to COVID-19
We will ask you to use hand sanitizer
Wait in your car until we tell you we’re ready for you
We will ask you to use a peroxide mouthwash
Magazines, Ipads and Coffee are temporatily unavailable
Only patients in the office (except for young children)
We will measure your temperature
We will update parents via phone/appointment slips
Please fill out our health screening questionnaire no longer than 24hrs before your appointment:
Health Screening Questionnaire
Dear Patients,
We are beyond ready to get back to work and see everyone! We have missed you all so much. We hope you all are healthy, happy and prepared to ease back into regular routines. Much has changed since we saw you last. We are all still coming to grips with the COVID-19 pandemic and events triggered by it. Everyone on the planet has been affected by COVID-19, and we are no exception. We want to update you on our office, it’s measured re-opening, and the steps we are taking to ensure we do everything possible to keep our patients and our team healthy.
We will be reopening on Monday, May 18. We will be following rigorous scheduling protocols and office measures to ensure the safety and well-being of you, our patients, and the team members. Our protocols are based on recommendations made by the American Dental Association, the American Association of Orthodontists, the Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners and the Arkansas Department of Health.
We ask for your patience. We had to cancel over 1000 appointments, and we know that there is a strong desire to get your treatment back on track as soon as possible. We will eventually, but it will not be as efficient as we are used to in our office. This benefits everyone. Our processes and procedures have been well-thought-out and reviewed countless times by Dr. Hodge, Dr. Collazo and the staff to assure everyone’s safety.
We are soon going to start rescheduling patients on a first-canceled-first-rescheduled basis, which is fair, efficient, and will serve everyone with getting back on track. Our office procedures have temporarily changed and will include the following:
Appointments
- There will be a limit to the number of patients seeing per day. That limit is going to depend on the physical capacity of each office and the type of appointments scheduled for that particular day. The goal is to minimize foot traffic and the number of people at the office at once. We are going to be able to see roughly half of the number of patients we typically saw in a day. The points outlined below will lend clarity to this decision.
- Please wait for our office to call you to reschedule your appointments. We have a very accurate and comprehensive list of every appointment canceled, including the day and time.
- Emergencies will continue only to be defined by pain or bleeding. For now, broken brackets and ill-fitting aligner trays do not constitute an emergency.
Visits
- When you arrive for your appointment, please stay in your car. Please call or text our office upon your arrival, and a Patient Coordinator will let you know when we are ready for the patient to come in.
- Only the patient that is being treated will be allowed to enter the office. The only exception for this will be for very young patients. Of those, only one parent/caregiver may accompany the patient. Absolutely no other family members or friends will be allowed inside.
- Please bring your own mask and wear it to your appointment. Federal guidelines for social distancing and wearing masks in businesses continue, so bring the mask you have been using. If you do not have your own, we will provide one; however, personal protective equipment supplies are dangerously low. If we run out, we will have to close the office again until the supply-chain is back to normal.
- Your temperature will be taken by staff using a touchless thermometer. If your temp is over 100 degrees F, you will be asked to leave and not return for the specified 14-day self-quarantine requirement.
- A simple questionnaire assessing your contacts, travel, and well-being will be asked of all patients as well. Any question indicating recent exposure to someone with COVID-19 or having signs and symptoms of the same will be asked to leave, and not return for the specified 14-day self-quarantine requirement.
- Maintain the 6-foot social distancing guidelines when in the office until seated in the treatment chair.
- The tooth-brushing station will be closed. Please brush your teeth before coming in.
- We ask for understanding while we will try to address all of your treatment needs during your visit. Individuals with multiple broken brackets may not have everything completed during this visit due to strict scheduling times.
Social
- WE LOVE OUR PATIENTS! We also love to chat with you at your appointment. Please understand that conversations will be significantly reduced to allow for social distancing, running on time, disinfection of treatment chairs and instruments, etc.
- We will not be providing our coffee/tea/hot chocolate station or any snacks while in this re-entry to normalcy time.
Team
- We will take the temperatures of every team member, including Dr. Hodge and Dr. Collazo, immediately upon arrival at work, and after lunch. Any team member at 100 F or above will go home.
- Every team member will answer the health questionnaire that our patients are required to answer, and will do so every day. If any questions disqualify the team member, they will be sent home following the same procedures we are asking our patients to follow.
General
- You will find upon arrival that our furniture has been rearranged. You’ll also notice other changes made to ensure the health and well-being of our patients and our team.
We are so grateful for every one of our patients, and this time away has only served to make us even more thankful for each of you. You are the life-force of our practice, and this is why we are taking your safety VERY seriously. We would ask for your patience and understanding. Expect that your treatment progress has been delayed, as has your estimated completion time. We wish that was not the case, but it is. Please forgive us as we are focusing on getting each of you back on track while not exposing our team members or patients to unnecessary risk.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call or text our offices. We care about each one of you and are working hard to continue providing the best in orthodontic treatment in a safe environment.
Warmly,
Dr. Natalia Hodge & Dr. Mel Collazo
WELCOME TO HODGE ORTHODONTICS
Welcome to Hodge Orthodontics. Our mission is to provide excellent orthodontic care in a friendly and comfortable environment. We offer a diversity of treatment for children, teenagers, and adults of all ages. Whether you are looking for braces for your child, Invisalign for yourself, or replacement retainers for yourself or a teenager, Dr. Hodge will listen to your concerns and offer you options to achieve your desired results.
At a time when one-on-one care is getting harder to find, Hodge Orthodontics offers you a place where you will be valued and well cared for. We work hard to fit in with your busy lifestyle — offering extended hours for appointments and a variety of ways of reaching us, including by text or email.
MEET DR. HODGE
Dr. Hodge is passionate about all aspects of her job. “Orthodontic treatment is, by nature, longer than other dental treatments and it requires periodic visits. But those more frequent check-ups give me the opportunity to really get to know my patients. When treatment is complete, I am happy that we have achieved our goals. I love seeing my patients’ new, beautiful smiles, but it makes me sad that I won’t get to “hang out” with them on almost a monthly basis anymore. I like to take the time we spend together as an opportunity to educate patients about their oral health and help them develop a great sense of appreciation for their teeth and gums. My goal is to help everybody get the beautiful smile they have always wanted as well as learn how to take care of it so that it will last them a lifetime.”
