Hello everyone!

As our provincial lockdown is over and COVID-19 restrictions have started to be lifted, we thought this would be a good time to update you on what we at Kaydental have been doing over the past year and a half. We are proud of our accomplishments and want to share our excitement over some changes with you.

After many years, Dr. Melvyn Kay has transitioned from clinical practice to a new role at Kaydental: Consultant in Pediatric Dentistry. He is grateful for the wonderful practice he had for more than 50 years. He still enjoys seeing his patients and their families and hearing how all of them are doing. That will never change! He loved working with all of his patients and their families and already misses that. However, he will be in the office occasionally, otherwise, consulting remotely as needed. He will be available to say "hi" and would love to have the opportunity to greet you and get caught up.

Our adult patients, older children and teens continue to see Dr. Stephen Kay as their primary care family and general dentist who focuses on preventive and restorative dentistry (fillings, crowns, and dental implants) as well as cosmetic solutions. As the pandemic has unfolded, he has seen an increase in untreated periodontal (gum) disease, cavities, and teeth that have suffered damage from clenching or grinding due to stress as well as increased sugar consumption.

With Dr. Mel's anticipated transition to his new role, Dr. Leila Raziee joined our team to focus on the dental needs of very young and specially challenged children. Dr. Leila is also a Certified Pediatric Dentist. In the almost three years since Dr. Leila has been with us, she has been warmly received by patients, parents and the rest of our team. Of particular note is a new treatment for certain types of cavities in very young children that Dr. Leila recently introduced to our office. Silver Diamide Fluoride gained popularity in pediatric dentistry over the past few years, as it does not require any anaesthetic (so no needles!), no drilling, no special preparation and no post-treatment instructions. Not for everyone, but certainly an option for certain patients. We are very pleased to now offer this option, when indicated, for our young patients.

Dr. Dan Pollit, our Certified Orthodontist, is increasing his time in the office to accommodate a high demand for orthodontic treatment for both adults, children and teens. Orthodontic treatments are among dental situations that can become urgent if left unaddressed for a prolonged period of time.

Another big change is the staffing at our front desk/administration area. Sheryl joined Kaydental last September, in the middle of the pandemic. In fact, she interviewed with us on Zoom! From the moment she took over the front desk, we were thrilled with our choice. Sheryl comes to us with many years of dental administration experience, specifically in appointment management, insurance matters and most importantly, interpersonal communication. Patients have commented not only on her knowledge but also on her friendly, supportive manner. Sheryl is eager to meet all of our patients and we are confident that you too will feel her caring approach immediately, whether in person or on the phone.

Karen, who first came to Kaydental as a high school co-op student, returned as administration support. Karen has worked with us intermittently over the past few years as she furthered her education and explored career options, all we might add, involving public relations. She is our go-to person for tech support as well as handling special administrative projects.

Our dental hygiene and dental assisting team members remain the same: Karine, Anita, Jenny and Rose - all have been an enormous help in implementing COVID-19 protocols and routines.

Kaydental has been open continuously for in-person dental care since June 2020. Please visit our website at kaydental.ca to see the protocols we implemented to ensure your safety during the pandemic, and moving forward. Our practice fully supports COVID-19 vaccination and, along with all levels of government and public health officials, we encourage everyone to become fully vaccinated.

Other changes we have made:

We have fully implemented digital x-rays. Patients love to see their x-rays displayed, almost instantaneously, in the treatment room where concerns can be addressed and often treatment options discussed on the spot. We have also made available digital scanning options for alternatives to traditional dental impressions.

We have also implemented revised appointment scheduling to reduce, and in most cases eliminate, waiting room time yet still allow for family appointments for those who prefer to come in together. As always, we continue to office evening and early morning appointments.

We are working to become "as paperless as possible" by moving certain patient forms to a secure online platform to reduce the amount of paper used and lessen environmental impacts.

In anticipation of summer holidays, camp and even travel, taking care of your dental health can now avoid unwanted urgent situations just when our lives are returning to normal. Over the next few weeks, Sheryl will be reaching out to "check-in" with you. Please let her know any concerns you might have and she will be happy to organize the appropriate appointment for you. We are also happy to welcome to our practice friends, family and co-workers who may have urgent dental needs and/or seeking routine dental care! They can reach us through our website, email or telephone and we will accommodate them promptly.

We all want to enjoy the summer and get our lives back to normal. So, in the meantime, "BE POSITIVE AND TEST NEGATIVE". In other words, stay safe and stay healthy! See you soon!

Regards,