COVID-19

As we navigate through this pandemic with diligence, social conscience and safe protocols to keep our patients, our team members and our community safe, it is imperative that we all do our part on keeping an open and honest flow of information. We have successfully placed protocols in place to tend to our patient’s orthodontic needs while keeping a safe environment for the last 7 weeks since we re-opened on May 4th. We have unfortunately had a team member test positive for COVID-19. Our team member was asked to stay home and we immediately re-scheduled all appointments for the rest of the day and the rest of the week. Also, any patient in contact with the employee the prior week was individually contacted and notified.

Contact tracing for the affected employee indicated that exposure to the virus was not at our office, which is highly unlikely due to our universal precautions, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) implementation and very strict sterilization and safety protocols. Her exposure was thru the spouse’s interaction with two co-workers that tested positive to COVID-19 the week prior.

Out of an abundance of caution, all our team members were rapid tested (SARS Antigen FIA rapid test) for COVID-19 on 6/24/20 at Davam Urgent Care Center. We are happy to report that all team members test results were negative for COVID-19. On the morning of 6/24/20 COIT Cleaning Services professionally cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected by means of wet sprays, surface wiping and fogging all surfaces.

The safety of our patients, our team members and our community is of utmost importance to us, and all the protocols we are taking are to ensure we do our part on containing the spread of the virus while providing the continuing care of our patients. We sincerely thank you for understanding the need to re-schedule appointments until we can ensure the safety of all. We also understand it can be cumbersome to delay some of your appointments, just rest assure that we do have your safety and health as our most important priority.

We will be back to our office on Monday, 6/29/2020. Our commitment to you is, and has always been, quality care in a safe, healthy and family-friendly environment, and as family, we will always have an open, honest and caring communication with our cherished patient family members.

Stay safe, be good, and smile always!

To our Studebaker Ortho family: We are open and excited to see you starting on Monday, May 4th, 2020! Even though your treatment will remain the same, you may be wondering what precautions we are taking to ensure your safety. While our friendly team members and the appointment process may look a little different, don’t worry! We have always been on the front line of preventing the spread of diseases. Precautions have always included the use of masks, glasses, gloves, sterile instruments, and devices. You will now see additional precautions specific to the onset of COVID 19. From treatment and waiting room disinfection, to the strict use of personal protective equipment (PPE), the safety of patients and team members continues to be of utmost importance.

While your check-in may involve a few extra steps, this will help ensure the safety of you and our team. Signs will be in place in our parking lot with directions for you to follow. Upon your arrival, we ask that you stay in your car and text us. We will then text you back and let you or your child know when to come in for your appointment.

Due to the closure of schools, we know you will also be challenged with childcare limitations. It has been customary and natural to bring siblings, friends and other family members to appointments. We ask that only the patient enter the office, (if it is absolutely necessary that a family member enter the office, they must wear a face mask). Only scheduled patients will be allowed back in our treatment area.

If you or others accompanying you have a fever, cough or shortness of breath, we ask that you please let us know. We may have to re-schedule your appointment. We will be taking your temperature with a touchless thermometer as you enter the office, have you use hand sanitizer, and rinse with mouthwash before we see you. We ask that you brush your teeth before coming to your appointment. Brushing in the office will not be available for now.

Don’t worry, as always, we are here to answer any of your questions and to update you on your treatment. We are kindly asking our patients and families to assist us in reducing risk of exposure, so we may have the most effective sanitation procedures for the benefit of our patients, community and team. Rest assured, we will continue to follow any recommended precautions from the AAO (American Association of Orthodontists), OSHA, CDC and TDA (Texas Dental Association) to treat all orthodontic patients safely.

Dr. Studebaker and team members want to thank you sincerely for navigating through this unprecedented time with us, for keeping you, your family and our community safe, and for allowing us to be part of your smile transformation process. Thank you for keeping up with your hygiene, with wearing your elastics, and for all the calls and pictures you sent to update us on your treatment while in quarantine. We also appreciate your support and understanding for the multiple re-scheduled appointments. We are forever thankful and blessed to have such an amazing patient family!  We look forward to seeing you soon!

While our lives and our daily routines have been placed on hold during this unforeseen and unfortunate Coronavirus outbreak, The Studebaker Orthodontics team will continue to keep you updated during this very unprecedented and challenging time.

Our commitment to you, our team members and the community we serve, is to do our part on keeping everyone safe at this time. Due to the rapidly changing situation, there is currently no set guideline as to when our office will confidently be allowed to re-open for routine, in-person orthodontic care visits. We are vigilantly monitoring and adhering to the recommendations of all governing authorities and will re-open for treatment at our soonest available opportunity.

At Studebaker Orthodontics, we want to reassure you that your treatment is of paramount importance to us and that we that we thank you for trusting your smiles to us. We know we will see all of your smiling faces back in the office very soon! Please remember that we are always here for you if you need us.

What will happen to my upcoming appointment?

Our team will be contacting you within two days of your upcoming appointment to re-schedule your appointment. We can also schedule for a virtual visit, if needed. Please email info@studebakerortho.com or give us a call to setup your virtual visit.

What if I have a broken bracket, a pokey wire, or am in discomfort?

Due to our Governor’s strict guidelines of emergency management during COVID-19, we will do our best to guide you through the discomfort from home. Please call us at 281-251-9229 or email us at info@studebakerortho.com and we will put you in touch with one of our team members to schedule a virtual appointment where we can guide you through the next steps.

I have an appointment coming up and I am in Invisalign, how should I proceed with my treatment?

If you are in Invisalign, continue to progress through your aligners and wearing elastics, if indicated. If you are on your last aligner, after one week of full-time wear, continue to wear them 12 hours a day until we are able to see you in person.

Should I keep turning my child’s expander?

Please only complete the number of turns that were requested then STOP. If you have any concerns or questions, we encourage you to schedule a virtual appointment by giving us a call at 281-251-9229

What constitutes a true orthodontic emergency?

Traditionally a dental/orthodontic emergency is considered any oral-facial trauma, significant infection, prolonged bleeding or pain that cannot be managed by over the counter medications. However, we understand that while you may not be experiencing one of these situations, you may need urgent attention. If you feel that you need urgent attention, please schedule a virtual appointment by giving us a call at 281-251-9229 or emailing us at info@studebakerortho.com where we can assess your situation and determine the next steps. Our goal is always to make sure that you feel comfortable and confident with your treatment and we will continue to provide exemplary care during this time.

What if I run out of elastics or need wax?

Please email us at info@studebakerortho.com or call us at 281-251-9229 and we will determine the next steps.

What should I do if I am scheduled for a consultation or to start treatment soon?

During our COVID-19 closure, we want to ensure that you will still start your treatment as soon as possible. We will be doing a virtual appointment where we will be able to introduce ourselves, discuss your wants and goals of treatment and determine next steps. While we are not able to see you in the traditional setting, we are confident that you will find a virtual appointment beneficial. We are dedicated to all of our patients, and you are no different. Welcome to the Studebaker Ortho family!

If I am not a patient yet, how do I schedule an appointment?

If you did not have an appointment booked but would like to do so, please email info@studebakerortho.com or give us a call at 281-251-9229 to setup a virtual consult with our office.

What should I do if I have a follow-up appointment to check up on my child’s growth and development?

Great news!

We will be calling you in the near future to schedule a virtual appointment to monitor your child’s dental development. If you prefer to be seen in person, we will reschedule your appointment at a later date.

What should I do if I have lost or broken my retainer?

We are so sorry to hear that your retainer is lost or broken. Mistakes happen! The good news is that teeth move relatively slowly. Please call us or email us at info@studebakerortho.com and we will schedule a virtual appointment for you to see what happened and plan for the next steps.

How can I get in touch with you?

Although our team is working remotely to best protect their safety, they are still there to help you Monday through Thursday between 8:00am to 5:00pm. The best means of communication continues to be through phone, text or email info@studebakerortho.com. We are also consistently monitoring and responding to all voicemail messages (phone: 281-251-9229). We also encourage you to follow us on Facebook (StudebakerOrtho) or Instagram (@studebakerortho) for the latest updates.

Thank you for continuing to trust us with your treatment and smile!

During these uncertain times, it is more important than ever to Stay Positive, Stay Home, Be Kind and Keep Smiling!

During this time of uncertainty, we realize how interconnected we all are in this community and how important it is that we all work together for a bigger goal. It is essential that we all stay calm and keep our minds and bodies healthy. Keeping you and your family’s daily routine is essential during this time of social distancing. In a society when 100 miles per hour seems to be the norm, stillness can feel a bit scary and strange for some. Embracing this time to keep calm and create a routine that brings positivism and a sense of “normalcy” is important. This is the time we should take to create a positive environment by connecting with our kids, enriching our souls and supporting our community. Ways in which we can stay connected and stay health include:

• Good, positive communication reassuring our kids and loved ones that this shall pass.
• Regular family activities, such as games, reading together, cooking, doing yard work, doing homework together, etc. to keep mind healthy and worry-free.
• Communicating virtually with our friends and family to share a smile and great conversation.
• Sufficient sleep to keep a healthy diet and daily exercising which is vital for your health and overall wellness.
• Remember the importance of regular brushing and flossing with your orthodontic appliances. Brush and floss after every meal to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Be sure to use Antiseptic mouthwashes that can be used to fight and kill bacteria. Mouthwashes that contain fluoride such as ACT are very beneficial to fight tooth decay and decalcification. Oral Hygiene Products can be found at any of your nearby pharmacies or grocery stores.

We are positive that with the communities’ efforts to keeping our social distancing to “flatten the curve”, we all can overcome these circumstances. Before you know it, we will be back to our regular daily lives and schedules, which includes your orthodontic appointments. We can’t wait to continue to work with you on creating that healthy beautiful smile you deserve!

During this time of uncertainty and facing the challenges of social distancing and staying safe and healthy, Dr. Studebaker and team is committed to keeping our patients, our team and our community informed on how these circumstances affect your orthodontic treatment.

Studebaker Orthodontics pledges to meet and exceed guidelines issued by the State of Texas and other national organizations to keep our community and team members safe as we work with our patients during unforeseen orthodontic emergencies.

Rest assured, our patient's safety is of paramount importance to us, and to keep everyone safe, we are:

• Maintaining our current OSHA directives related to the dental industry standards for sterilization of dental instruments and sanitizing hard surfaces used during all appointments.
• Re-scheduling all non-critical appointments to 2-3 weeks in the future.
• Offer virtual retainer checkups, if needed - ask us how.
• Asking patients to send us photos  of emergencies via email so we can troubleshoot issues and determine if an appointment in the office is necessary.

To stay healthy during your emergency appointments, we ask that you:

• Only bring one parent to the office and leave all siblings home to minimize the number of people at our common areas.
• If possible, stay in the car while the patient is treated. We can call or text you to send the patient in when we are ready and schedule your next visit the same way after the appointment is completed.

We do want to thank you and let you know how we truly appreciate your trust on us to provide the best and safest orthodontic care possible. As always, we are here for you, just a phone call away.

Dr. Studebaker and team

As you are aware, Dr. Studebaker and his team have been closely monitoring the COVID-19 developments and acting in accordance with the guidelines and recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Texas Health and Human Services, and the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners to ensure the health and safety of our patients and team members. In response to the latest recommendation from the White House, the American Association of Orthodontists and the American Dental Association, we are suspending all non-essential care for at least the next two weeks – through the end of March.

If you have an appointment scheduled within that time period, we will contact you as soon as possible to reschedule. This will help us to manage the overall appointment calendar in order to best address everyone’s needs. We do ask that you text us or email us (rather than call) with any questions or concerns you may have in order to open our lines for true orthodontic emergencies. We will get back to you in a timely manner.

Dr. Studebaker is reviewing each patient’s treatment status as appointments are rescheduled to minimize the impact this delay will have on your overall treatment time.

Thank you once again for the trust you have continued to place in us to tend to your orthodontic needs. We look forward to seeing you back in our office soon!