COVID-19 update

Dear Valued Customers,
Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen the world take numerous measures in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. It is increasingly evident that social distancing and other efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus will persist longer than anticipated.

The dental industry, in particular, has been significantly affected by recommendations from organizations such as the American Dental Association (ADA) that no non-emergency dental procedures should be completed until further notice. This includes routine dental procedures such as: initial or periodic oral examinations, cleanings, asymptomatic teeth extractions and esthetic procedures.

We understand the stress created by office closings and related uncertainty since no one is sure how long these measures will remain in place. As such, we are pleased to provide the following resources to assist you in responding to the challenges with which COVID-19 presents our industry:

• Web page dedicated to our response to the novel coronavirus, including resources to help doctors handle the COVID-19 crisis, such as messaging in the form of scripts to help your employees communicate with patients
• Virtual clinical learning curriculum in conjunction with the Oral Reconstruction Foundation

We continue to operate with most team members working from home but are shipping products per usual, and our U.S. production facilities are operating at full capacity. We will provide weekly updates to keep you informed of our activities so we all can make it through this crisis together. Please do not hesitate to contact me, your Territory Manager or Customer Care if you require any assistance. We sincerely hope that all of you, your friends and loved ones remain safe during this unprecedented time and that our world comes together to move past the challenges we currently face.

Best regards,

Steve Boggan
President & CEO
BioHorizons

Coronavirus protection for your team and patients

ProEdge provides a list of COVID19 State by State Recommendations Regarding Dental Care statements made by state dental associations regarding the need to limit or postpone dental care due to the spread of COVID-19.

Putting public health first: Coronavirus Q&A with Dr. Brittany Seymour

Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) conducted a Q&A with Dr. Brittany Seymour, an associate professor and global health discipline director at HSDM. She recently shared her thoughts on the spread of the virus as well as the spread of misinformation.

How teledentistry can help during coronavirus pandemic.

It is crucial that dental health care providers provide the essential care necessary to their patients and communities through teledentistry, writes Dr. James Anderson in DrBicuspid.

ADA coronavirus coding and billing guidance

The American Dental Association's (ADA's) billing for teledentistry guide is intended to help dental offices navigate issues related to coding and billing for virtual appointments during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Protect your practice financially during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Academy of General Dentistry provides five actions to take to protect your practice.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act Signed into law - What this means for employers

On Wednesday, March 18,2020, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act into law. This law makes changes to an employer's legal obligations. For a summary of the final law, please click here.

Coronavirus protection for your team and patients

Earn CE during this free webinar that addresses what the implications of the new coronavirus are for dental practices, near- and short-term. Learn about what precautions your practice can take, OSHA regulations and more. Speaker Mary Govoni, CDA, RDA, RDH, MBA, is an internationally recognized speaker, author and consultant on clinical efficiency, ergonomics, OSHA & HIPAA compliance, infection control and team communication. Register for free to earn your CE. CE provided by Halyard Dental.

Coronavirus protection for your team and patients

With the current Coronavirus pandemic, it's important to protect yourself, your team, and your patients. This is also an important time to communicate to your patients the plan for your office. Are you temporarily closing? Are you remaining open? And if you are staying open, you need to reassure them that your office is a safe place to visit.

Here are some things I will be doing in my office during this time, and that I suggest you do as well:

• Encourage patients and staff to wash their hands frequently. Have hand sanitizer dispensers located throughout the office to make it more convenient for staff and patients to use.
• If you use iPads or tablets for patient paperwork, be sure to sanitize them with a disinfectant wipe between each patient. It's important for patients to see you do this, as it will reassure them that you office is taking necessary precautions to protect their health.
• I also like to wipe down my office's computer keyboards, each computer mouse, and the telephones frequently. This is something I normally do on a regular basis anyway because these are areas the entire team tends to touch.
• Consider removing magazines and newspapers from the lobby as these tend to be handled by many people and could be contaminated. Also, if you have toys in your lobby for children, consider removing them during this time.
• Using Dentrix Communication Manager, you can create email newsletters. This is a good way to communicate with your patients. You can communicate with them if your office is open, closed, or is changing office hours.
• Email newsletters are also a good way to reassure your patients that your office takes their health and safety seriously. Explain to them that your team will (as always) be using universal precautions such as wearing gloves and masks, as well as being diligent with hand washing and the disinfecting of common areas.
• For your patients' confidence, have your clinical staff open sterilization packs in front of the patient in the operatory. This will help to reassure the patient that everything in your office is clean and sterile.
• And finally, if a team member isn't feeling well, make them stay home! Don't risk the health of other team members or your patients.

Stay healthy and safe! If you have questions, email me at vectordentalconsulting@gmail.com.

Charlotte Skaggs, Certified Dentrix Trainer
Charlotte Skaggs is the founder of Vector Dental Consulting LLC, a practice management firm focused on taking offices to the next level. Charlotte co-owned and managed a successful dental practice with her husband for 17 years. She has a unique approach to consulting based on the perspective of a practice owner. Charlotte has been using Dentrix for almost 20 years and is a certified Dentrix trainer. Contact Charlotte at vectordentalconsulting@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Dentrix Office Manager blog http://thedentrixofficemanager.blogspot.com/2020/03/coronavirus-protection-for-your-team.html.

Are you still seeing patients?
Here are some tips on what your staff should say during the COVID-19 pandemic

No matter the procedures they need, every patient is likely concerned about visiting a healthcare provider's office. Communication is key to ensuring your patients remain committed to your practice during and after the pandemic. Your staff members can use the following suggested scripts and talking points when communicating with patients about COVID-19 concerns.

Appointment Confirmation: Confirming patient appointments presents an opportunity for assuring patients of your practice's dedication to cleanliness guidelines and for an informal screening to help ensure sick patients do not arrive at the practice.

If patient answers:
Good morning/afternoon, [insert patient name], this is Dr. ____'s office confirming your appointment for [insert date and time].

• We are getting everything ready for your appointment, which includes taking additional precautions with our cleaning routines to keep you safe during the coronavirus disease outbreak. We are also conducting patient screenings before and during appointments, which includes asking additional health questions and taking your temperature.
• How have you been feeling? Within the last 14 days, have you experienced a fever? Cough? Shortness of breath? Do you have any concerns to share with the doctor before your visit?
  
  [If patient describes flu-like or COVID-19 symptoms]
• I hope you feel better soon. Why don't we reschedule your appointment for a later date?
  [Reschedule appointment at one month later to ensure two weeks have passed after their symptoms end.]

If leaving a recorded message/recording automated message:
"Good morning/afternoon, [insert patient name]. This is Dr. ____'s office confirming your appointment for [insert date and time].

• To protect our patients and staff during the new coronavirus outbreak, we are taking additional precautions to keep you safe. This includes being more aggressive with daily cleaning in the waiting and clinical areas. If you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, coughing, shortness of breath or body aches, please reschedule your appointment for at least two weeks after your symptoms end. You will not be charged a cancellation fee for any appointments canceled due to illness until further notice. We are monitoring the situation at the national and local levels, and we will keep you updated with any changes.

If confirming an appointment rescheduled due to illness and patient answers:

• I know we rescheduled your last appointment because you were feeling ill. How have you been feeling? Within the last 14 days, have you experienced a fever? Cough? Shortness of breath? Do you have any concerns to share with the doctor before your visit?
  
  [If patient describes flu-like or COVID-19 symptoms]
  I hope you feel better soon. Why don’t we reschedule your appointment for a later date?
  [Reschedule appointment at one month later to ensure two weeks have passed after their symptoms end.]

If confirming an appointment reschedule due to illness and leaving recording message:
"Good morning/afternoon, [insert patient name]. This is Dr. ____'s office confirming your appointment for [insert date and time].

• To protect our patients and staff, we are taking additional precautions during the coronavirus outbreak. This includes being more aggressive with daily cleaning in the waiting and clinical areas. If you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, coughing, shortness of breath or body aches, please reschedule your appointment at least two weeks after your symptoms end. You will not be charged a cancellation fee for any appointments canceled due to illness until further notice. We are monitoring the situation at the national and local levels, and we will keep you updated with any changes.

In the office – Consider screening patients upon arrival by taking their temperature and asking if they have experienced fever, cough, shortness of breath or body aches. Attempt to screen them before they sit down in the chair. {Some practices are doing curbside or parking lot screening to reduce exposure to other patients}. If they have a fever, reschedule the appointment and sanitize anything they came in contact with. Consider mentioning this in your phone calls so they won’t be surprised by this additional step.

In waiting area (have a nurse stationed to assist with patient check in):
Good morning/afternoon, how have you been feeling? Within the last 14 days, have you experienced a fever? Cough? Shortness of breath? Let's go ahead and take your temperature. Do you have any concerns to share with the doctor before your visit?

• [If patient appears ill]
  • Be empathetic. "Are you feeling okay?"
    • If they mention they have experienced symptoms or if they have a temperature, ask them to reschedule their appointment with no penalty.

Appointment follow-up – Patients may be contagious before they present with symptoms. These patients may be harder to track down. Use patient follow-up to find out if they were satisfied with their appointment and to check on their coronavirus status.

If patient answers:
Good morning/afternoon, this is Dr. _____'s office following up on your appointment with us on [insert date/time].

• Was everything to your satisfaction? [pause for response] How are you feeling? Have you experienced any fever, cough, shortness of breath or body aches since leaving our office?

[If they have experienced symptoms]

• I hope you feel better soon. Have you visited a doctor about your symptoms? What did they say?

[If no symptoms]

• Wonderful. We look forward to seeing you next time. Have a great day!

If leaving a message/automated system:
"Good morning/afternoon, [insert patient name]. This is Dr. ____'s office confirming your appointment for [insert date and time].

• We hope everything was to your satisfaction. Since leaving our office, if you have experienced any fever, cough, shortness of breath or body aches, or been diagnosed with any illness by a doctor, please call our office back at xxx.xxx.xxxx and let us know so we can keep our patients and staff safe. We look forward to seeing you next time. Have a great day!

Talking points to help you answer potential questions before, during and after appointments

• Are you cleaning the office more than usual? Has the waiting room been cleaned lately]
  • Before the outbreak began, we cleaned our waiting area every night. Now, we're even cleaning it through out the day and paying special attention to wiping down chairs, armrests, and the coffee station and other things patients frequently touch.
    *This could change practice by practice. Please adjust according to your unique cleaning practices.
• Have any of your patients tested positive for the coronavirus?
  • If you have had a positive case: "We did have a positive case, and the office has been thoroughly disinfected, local health authorities contacted and we are following their guidelines, and other patients alerted who visited on the same day."
  • If you have not had a positive case: We have not. We are screening each patient before treating them. If anyone tests positive for the virus in our office, we will follow WHO guidelines, which could include entering quarantine.
• Do any of your staff members have the virus? Are any of them sick?
  • No staff member presently in the office is ill and, as a rule, if a staff member is ever ill, we require that individual to stay home, in keeping with WHO guidelines. Now, we’re being especially careful and recommending that anyone with fever, cough, shortness of breath or body aches and chills sees their doctor as soon as possible and stays home for the WHO-recommended time, which could be up to 14 days after symptoms subside.
• My kids are sick, but I'm not. Can I still come in? OR I'm sick but my kids aren't, and they have an appointment.
  • Out of an abundance of caution to protect the welfare of patients and staff, we would prefer to reschedule your and/or your children's appointments. Thanks so much for your understanding. When are you available in one month?
• How do you know what's going on?
  • We are monitoring the situation locally and nationally. We will strictly follow WHO guidelines to keep you and our employees healthy.

If your office must close because of local outbreaks or other WHO guidance, let patients know via email, social and phone calls.
Automated message:

Good morning/afternoon, this is Dr. ____'s office.

• We are calling to let you know that due to local outbreaks of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, our office will close until [insert date], at which point we will look at the local situation and evaluate reopening or extending our closure. Thank you for patience and understanding. We hope you and your family and friends stay healthy and safe during this outbreak.

Additional recommendations:

• Quarantine cities and towns may require additional or altered talking points and actions. WHO guidance should be considered to supercede these recommendations.
• Recommend adding sign to door: PLEASE STOP. To protect everyone’s health, please do not enter this office if you are experiencing fever, cough, shortness of breath or body aches. You will not be charged for missed appointments due to illness. Simply call the main office number [XXX.XXXX] to reschedule. Stay healthy and safe!
• Recommend no cancellation penalties due to any illness until further notice.
• Include COVID-19 screening questionnaires as part of paperwork to be filled out in waiting area. Ensure the questionnaire meets all HIPAA requirements.
• Remove pens from office so patients are encouraged to use their own. Provide one if asked.
• Remove magazines and toys from the waiting area. If patients ask why, let them know it's to prevent the spread of germs during the outbreak. The toys and reading materials will be sanitized and returned once it's safe to do so.
• Spread out the chairs or remove some so they are farther apart.
• Recommend doctors send email and social media messages that outline more aggressive cleaning methods during the outbreak.
• If a patient asks whether the doctor can spare any masks for personal use, recommend replying as follows: I'm sorry, but at the urging of the WHO, protective masks are only for use by health care professionals and those who are ill or caring for the ill.

For additional guidance, consult the World Health Organization World Health Organization and the Henry Schein Education Center

General messaging for the COVID-19 pandemic

Tips and messaging guides to help patients understand your COVID-19 policy and reschedule their appointments:

COVID-19 has forced us to change how we conduct our daily business and even how we interact with each other. During times of uncertainty, it's critical we have a plan to effectively communicate with our patients to help deal with any disruption to their dental care schedules, while continuing to provide a quality patient experience.

Below are some best practices for using your patient communication tools to send messages that ease patient concerns, clarify your COVID-19 policy, provide dental care information, and reschedule appointments for when your practice is ready. Also included are sample messages to help you communicate practice closure and reopening.

Steps for properly communicating to patients during a crisis:

1. Establish your office’s COVID-19 policy utilizing national, state, and local board guidelines.
2. Ensure the proper team members have access the office's Practice Management and Patient Communication software remotely and securely. Reach out to the manufacturer’s support team if you need help.
3. Notify patients regarding a closure, limited hours, or special precautions using your communication tool's mass email communication feature.
4. Disable or modify reminders and confirmation communications (email, text, voice, etc.).
5. Disable or block ability for patients to book appointments online during a closure or limited hours.
6. Add copy to your website and social media pages regarding your COVID-19 policy, closure, precautions, or limited hours.
7. Add contact information and policy for dental emergencies to your website, voice mail, emails, social media pages, etc.
8. Quickly notify patients that are already scheduled for appointments of office closure or limited hours utilizing a Notify All Scheduled Patients email or text messaging feature of your communication service
9. Utilize Two-Way texting feature for communicating one on one with scheduled patients regarding closure or limited hours.
10. Ensure team members can continue performing collection-related tasks (insurance management, billing, payment posting, etc.)
11. Ensure you have a team member monitoring the phone and/or returning phone calls to patients.

Messaging guides for communicating to patients about your COVID-19 policy:
For automated emails announcing: Office Closure
As novel coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnoses continue to increase around the world, we are committed as always to providing a safe and hygienic environment for our patients and team. Updates may change day-to-day but currently, individual state dental associations are recommending for dental practices to suspend nonessential or non-urgent dental care for the next two weeks to help with social distancing efforts in order to help slow the spread of the virus. If you have a dental need and are unsure of the next steps, please do not hesitate to give us a call so we can help you! Our phone lines will be staying open and appointments will be available on an as-needed basis. We will keep in touch if current guidelines change and will let you know of any updates. Thank you for your trust in us, and we look forward to helping you with your dental care in the future.

Messaging guides for communicating to patients about your COVID-19 policy (continued):
For automated emails announcing: Office Open
As novel coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnoses continue to increase around the world, we are committed as always to providing a safe and hygienic environment for our patients and team. Updates may change day-to-day but currently, our doors are still open and we are maintaining business as usual. We do kindly ask, for the health and safety of patients and our staff, that only the patients receiving dental treatment come into the office. We will continue to use precautions with every patient we interact with in order to keep you safe! If you have a dental need and are unsure of the next steps, please do not hesitate to give us a call so we can help you! Our phone lines will be staying open and appointments will be available on an as-needed basis. We will keep in touch if current guidelines change and will let you know of any updates. Thank you for your trust in us, and we look forward to helping you with your dental care in the future.

For automated voice messages announcing: Office Closed
Good morning/afternoon, this is Dr. ____'s office.
We are calling to let you know that due to local outbreaks of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, our office will close until [insert date], at which point we will look at the local situation and evaluate reopening or extending our closure. Thank you for patience and understanding. We hope you and your family and friends stay healthy and safe during this outbreak

For automated voice messages announcing: Office Open
Good morning/afternoon, [insert patient name]. This is Dr. ____'s office confirming your appointment for [insert date and time].
To protect our patients and staff during the new coronavirus outbreak, we are taking additional precautions to keep you safe. This includes being more aggressive with daily cleaning in the waiting and clinical areas. If you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, coughing, shortness of breath or body aches, please reschedule your appointment for at least two weeks after your symptoms end. You will not be charged a cancellation fee for any appointments canceled due to illness until further notice. We are monitoring the situation at the national and local levels, and we will keep you updated with any changes.

Tips for using Henry Schein One Patient Communication Software:
If you are a user of Henry Schein One North America patient communication systems, such as Demandforce, Lighthouse360, Dentrix Patient Engage, Sesame, or Communication Manager, you can use these features now:

• Email Campaigns or Newsletters
• Two-way Text Messaging
• Appointment Cancellation and Rescheduling Messaging
• Family Messaging
• Facebook Integration

Helpful "How to" tips:
Visit these help pages for steps on how to use your specific software features to communicate to your COVID-19 policy and reschedule patients.

For Patient Communication users, visit:

• Demandforce
• Lighthouse360
• Patient Engage
• Dentrix Patient Engage
• Sesame Communications
• Communication Manager

For website users, visit:

• Sesame Communications
• Officite
• Website manager

If you have any questions regarding how to reach your patients, best practices, or how your business can adjust to the evolving situation, please reach out to our support team at 833.471.2273.

If you do not use Henry Schein One patient communication tools, feel free to use these recommendations in your own practice. And if you would like to learn more, we’re here to help, at 833.471.7253.

COVID-19 update

Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for your support of BioHorizons and for the important role you play in protecting and improving public health. Our society is facing unprecedented challenges due to the threat of COVID-19 and, as such, I wish to inform you of the proactive measures we have implemented in consideration of this global concern.

We are taking the following steps to continue our excellent service to you:

• Our Territory Managers (TMs) will call prior to any appointment to verify if you still desire a personal visit or if you prefer for us to serve your needs over the phone or online.
• If you have other needs, please contact us at 1.888.246.8338 or register for our online store at store.biohorizons.com/register.
• All of our titanium implants and abutments are manufactured in the U.S., so our supply chain remains intact.
• We are taking additional measures to protect and ensure the continuity of our manufacturing and shipping operations to help you deliver quality care to your patients.

We are taking several precautions to ensure safety and minimize transmission of the virus:

• We are following guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the World Health Organization.
• Our teams are now working from home (with the exception of critical functions).
• Visitor access to our facilities is restricted.
• Company-sponsored events such as the Oral Reconstruction Foundation's Global Symposium are postponed.
• Employee travel is restricted.
• We have increased the frequency and degree of cleaning and sanitization throughout our facilities.

We stand ready to support you during this difficult time. We hope you and your family remain healthy and unaffected by this outbreak. Please do not hesitate to contact me or your TM if we can be of additional service.

Best regards,

Steve Boggan
President & CEO
BioHorizons