Dear Patient,

We hope that you and your family are well and safe. We appreciate your continued trust in our practice and team. We wanted to take a moment to update you on the procedures we have put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic to make our facility a safe place for our patients, staff and physicians.

We are currently open as per the governors’ order 145, to perform elective procedures in addition to emergencies. In response to the pandemic and as directed by Gov. Murphy’s orders back in March we remained open to handle the community’s emergencies during the public health battle. The decision to remain open for emergencies was driven by a great sense of responsibility to the community. We wanted to make sure all patients in pain or with urgent needs received our full attention rather than overwhelming the hospital system.

Throughout the years we have always exceeded the standards set forth by the CDC and OSHA. We will continue to monitor their most recent recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic daily and make sure that we have exceeded those recommendations as well.

Our patients and team are and will remain equipped with the proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and advanced technology to maintain the lowest risk potential for any community transmission of COVID19.

We have taken several steps to enhance the environment and safety of our practice. Some of those steps are as follows;

Screening and testing:

  • All patients are pre-screened with a questionnaire recommended by the CDC.
  • Patient, Doctor, and staff temperatures are recorded on a daily basis. If any patient or staff member reports signs or symptoms they will be asked to stay home and away from the practice until properly tested.
  • If possible, all patient forms will be completed digitally or online to minimize patient and personnel interaction.
  • Patients are recommended to arrive 20 min prior to their appointment to allow for proper screening.
  • All patients must call from the car prior to entering our office to confirm we a are ready for them.
  • Only the patient will be allowed in the office unless an adult requires assistance or a child under the age of 18 who must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
  • Upon calling for an appointment, if a higher risk patient is identified, special accommodations will be arranged.

Engineering:

All the operatories are sterilized and sanitized with medical grade solutions, all surfaces are wiped down thoroughly. Furthermore, the operatories are treated with hypochlorous acid foggers. The doors are closed and the hypochlorous acid is allowed the proper time to sanitize the entire space

Safety Protocol:

The office has always been maintained by a professional cleaning service; in addition, it is continuously being cleaned throughout the day with CDC recommended disinfectants.

All door handles and commonly touched areas are cleaned with a strong disinfectant.

60% of our waiting room chairs have been eliminated to allow for safe distancing in the waiting room.

In an effort to bypass the waiting room all together, we are scheduling 30% less patients per day and per physician. In addition to asking patients to wait in their cars upon arrival, they are called in to the office and escorted in the operatory suite directly once we are ready for them.

All of our forms are in digital format. In the event of an elderly patient that does not have access or is not comfortable with digital forms a disposable pen will be provided for the duration of their appointment in the office when needed.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

Our doctors and surgical staff are issued disposable gloves, gowns, face shields, and proper N95 masks while working on every patient.

Appointments:

All patients are scheduled by appointment only. We are allowing a greater period of time between patient appointments to allow for proper social distancing and sanitizing protocols to be carried out effectively and efficiently.

Our highest priority is to keep all our patients and staff as safe as possible. If you have any questions about this notification or your upcoming appointment, call us at (908) 725-5585.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be your premier oral surgery practice and to serve your needs and your loved ones. We are here for you and hope you main safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Dr. Joel Efron, Dr. Robert Albin, Dr. Alan Hecht