May 12, 2020

We hope that you and your loved ones are continuing to remain safe and healthy during this time. We have received the green light to re-open Okamoto and Bigley Dentistry from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Okamoto and Bigley Dentistry will open on May 18,2020 with a modified schedule. We have increased time in between appointments to accommodate social distancing and a more stringent infection control protocol. We have always made infection control a top priority, which you may have seen during your visits to our office.

We have been doing a lot of research on the best practices to make Okamoto and Bigley Dentistry a safe place for patients to come for routine treatment and for the employees to have a safe work environment. Guidelines have been prepared by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Dental Association (ADA), California Dental Association (CDA), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) about how to safely return to practice.

If you have an upcoming appointment, the time may have changed slightly, or your appointment may need to be rescheduled to accommodate social distancing and infection control. We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time. We apologize for this inconvenience and hope that you understand we have your best interest in mind with these changes.

Before your appointment, you will be contacted by Okamoto and Bigley Dentistry to ask you some screening questions. In compliance with the recommendations for public health, anyone with a cough or fever will not be allowed in the building and should stay home. We will be happy to reschedule your appointment for a later date.We ask that you wear a face covering upon arrival to the office and only remove it when seated in your room while you are having treatment. We will also ask you the screening questions upon your arrival and take your temperature with a no touch thermal scanning thermometer. We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use upon entry to the office, and dispensers are located throughout the office to use as needed. If you prefer to use soap and water instead of hand sanitizer, just let us know and we will show you to a sink.

Okamoto and Bigley Dentistry may look a little different than you are used to, but we are the same friendly and caring place as before. Our reception area will no longer offer magazines, since they are difficult to clean and disinfect. We will all be wearing masks. We have also had plexiglass barriers installed throughout the office to separate the spaces. Our Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been upgraded for additional protection.

We have recently upgraded our online experience. You may have received an invitation to sign up for a secure patient portal where you can see your account history, request appointments, and make payments. If you did not receive an invitation for the online portal, we may need to update your email address and cell phone information. Through this portal, we will also be able to send you update forms that you can fill out right on your phone, tablet, or computer. This will enable you to complete the forms before you arrive at the office.

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. Thank you for being our patient. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming you back. To make an appointment, please call 626-440-9095, or visit our website at okamotodentistry.com.

Sincerely,

Geri Okamoto, DDS, Chris Bigley, DDS and the Okamoto Dental Team