Maintaining a smile: Dental offices have gone the extra mile to ensure safe environment RYAN McCRACKEN


No workplace has been without changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but dental offices have been tasked with mitigating a great deal of risk due to their inherent need to interact with maskless patients.


At River Dental, clinic manager Joanne Fuhrmann says her staff has gone the extra mile at every opportunity in order to meet the challenges presented by the pandemic and ensure a safe environment for everyone who walks through their doors.


“The staff has just gone above and beyond to keep itself and our patients safe,” said Fuhrmann.


River Dental managed to remain open throughout the early stages of the pandemic while serving as an emergency hub.


Fuhrman says the biggest obstacle for staff to overcome in the months since the pandemic arrived has been the additional personal protective equipment required to do their job — not to mention the fact they must change after every patient. But she says the extra layers haven’t slowed them down.


The staff has just gone above and


“The face shields and the gowns and changing out after each patient, that’s probably been our biggest struggle,” said Fuhrmann. "Our staff has just been amazing with how they have adapted to everything, because obviously it’s a lot warmer with a lot more layers going on and off continuously throughout the day. With the extra safety precautions that we take, with everyone wearing their mask throughout the clinic at all times, it’s been a lot but everybody has just done an amazing job.”


beyond to keep itself and our patients safe


Those safety precautions extend beyond the dentist’s chair as well, as


Fuhrmann points out everyone working at


River Dental has been tasked with picking up new responsibilities and learning new practices in


order to keep things running smoothly.


"It’s extra workload all the way around,” she said. “Even the front desk, the way


they’ve had to change with people coming in and adapting too. We have a virtual waiting room now, so we don’t have people waiting in the waiting room, and they’ve had to learn a whole new system there with that. And all the extra paperwork for when a patient does come in, their COVID screening forms and taking their temperature … We value our patients and our staff for all they’ve done over this past year.”


Frontline Heroe! Tank You


We are grateful for your dedication to our community.


Special Thanks to our Team for their dedication to Our Patients! You are appreciated!


Families Serving Families!


403.526.5991 www.RiverDental.com


MAY 2021 - 11


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