GREEN BAY, Wis. (NBC 26) -- It's simply impossible to maintain social distance between a dentist and their patient during oral exams or appointments.
With that in mind, MAC Dental on the Bellin Health campus in East Green Bay has put a plan in place with sanitation procedures and protections in order to safely reopen.
It all starts with getting your temperature taken at the building entrance, then again upon entering the MAC Dental office on the fourth floor, where you'll see the front desk staff is protected with face masks and a plexiglass barrier.
"For anybody that's apprehensive, I can fully say with confidence that we're doing everything we can to treat them safely and comfortably," Jennifer Russell, DDS at MAC Dental said.
Dentists at MAC Dental are wearing disposable gowns, N95 masks provided by Brown County, 3D- printed face shields donated by the Einstein Project, plus gloves and caps. The Green Bay Fire Department volunteered to sanitze their PPE with UV light in order to be reused.
"what's really going to be different is that they're used to going out the front door, the door they walk in to," office manager Robin Tremel said. "We're actually gonna have them walk this way and out the employee door, so that we're not crossing paths."
In addition to all of these material precautions, MAC Dental is cutting back on typical appointments to avoid lobby congestion.
"We're staggering appointment times so that the waiting room has not filled with people," Dr. Russell said. "Everyone is spaced out. I think that it's different, but it will be safe."
MAC Dental management also confirmed that their dental hygenists have been personally calling patients ahead of their appointments to prepare them for different protocols and answer any questions they may have in advance. Tremel has been sending mass texts to staff members in preparation for reopening Monday, May 18; she says they feel ready and able to provide a safe environment for patients.
