Canceling/Rescheduling Appointments
We realize that your time is valuable and thus have appointed a specific time for you to minimize your waiting. We ask that you show us the same courtesy. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please notify the office at least 24 hours prior to your appointment so that another patient can be scheduled. Please arrive at our office at least 10 minutes before your appointment time. Late arrivals may need to be rescheduled in order to provide optimum care for you and to avoid inconveniencing other patients. We reserve the right to charge a $50 fee for no-shows and late cancellations.
Snow Emergency Policy
Our offices will remain open in the event of Level 1 or Level 2 snow emergencies. However, please exercise caution if you choose to attend your appointments in these conditions. If you choose not to keep your appointment, please call our office to reschedule. We will close our office if it is located in a county with a Level 3 snow emergency. Our Blue Ash office is located in Hamilton County, and our West Chester office is located in Butler County. If we are closed due to a Level 3 snow emergency, our office will contact you on our next business day in order to reschedule your appointment.
Contagious Disease Policy
Children and adults with contagious illnesses must stay home in order to prevent the spread of illness to others. Contagious diseases spread from one person to another. Often, people who spread disease do not look or feel sick. The germs spread by direct contact (touching), by coughing or sneezing, or by germs from the stool (bowel movement), or by blood getting on surfaces. Maintaining health and preventing the spread of contagious diseases are responsibilities shared by parents and our staff. Our interest is in preventing the spread of contagious diseases and therefore we ask parents to reschedule an appointment, rather than bringing a sick child into our office.
So how does a parent know when a child is too sick to attend their orthodontist appointment? Here are some basic guidelines:
Keep your child home if he or she has the following symptoms:
- Fever greater than or equal to 100.5 degrees F.
- Moderate drainage (clear or discolored) from the mouth, nose, eyes, or ears.
- Red discoloration to the whites of the eye(s). (For example, pink eye).
- Skin rashes as they are difficult to diagnose unless seen by a physician.
- Severe abdominal pain, vomiting, or diarrhea.
There are additional symptoms that should prevent a child from attending their orthodontic appointment. These symptoms include:
- A painful, red throat, even if fever is not present (For example, strep throat)
- A deep, hacking cough
- Difficulty breathing or untreated wheezing
- Complaints of stiff neck and headache with more than one of any of the above-stated symptoms
- Yellow discharge from the eyes
- An unusual yellow coloring of the skin or eyes
- Cuts or openings on the skin that are pus-filled or oozing
- Lice or nits
Remember, when in doubt, check with your physician’s office. It goes without saying that if you know your child has a contagious disease, by all means, keep them home. If a patient appears for an appointment and has any of the symptoms listed above, we may ask you to reschedule. Thank you for your consideration in keeping our patients and staff healthy.