Dental office finally reopens to all patients

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — A few weeks ago dental offices got the okay to reopen under strict guidelines that came about just seven days earlier.

Some said that wasn’t enough time and they waited. Weeks later, we went back to one when it finally opened and literally found all smiles.

“It’s been wonderful. I’m very excited to be back and seeing all the patients. We can’t see their smiling faces (under their masks) but we know they’re excited to see us and we are excited to see them,” says Dr. Jessica McClanahan, owner of Healthy Smiles of the Bluegrass.

It’s been a long three months since Dr. McClanahan and her staff saw her last regular patient. But she wasn’t the only one who was happy.

“I’m excited. I couldn’t wait for them to open so I could get them cleaned,” says patient Brenda Watts.

The office opened Wednesday doing teeth cleanings and regular dental appointments for the first time since closed by the coronavirus in March.

“I think initially most of my patients want to give me a hug or a little tap on the shoulder and I think everybody’s kind of hesitant to do that right now because of COVID and that’s definitely been the biggest downer,” says McClanahan.

Everything, including the staff, looks different.

No waiting room, staff greet patients at the door, take their temperatures and a COVID questionnaire before taking them back to the chair. But with the virus still out there, the patients felt safer.

“I did because I knew that they would be using all the safety precautions. And I already wear my mask everywhere I go,” says Watts.

Dr. McClanahan has to wear layers of gear: scrubs, disposable gown, N-95 mask, disposable mask, glasses, and a face shield. That equipment was part of the delay in opening.

“Most dental offices meet those requirement but I know for myself, I wanted the special masks. We wanted the N-95s, and we had a few things on back-order. Things that we just knew would make us feel safer and make our patients feel safer so we just waited,” says McClanahan.

But the delay has made the smiles that much sweeter.