March 27, 2020

Dear Patients,

On March 26, 2020, Governor Kim Reynolds issued a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for the State of Iowa.  In the Proclamation, all dentists were instructed to refrain from performing non-emergency services through April 16, 2020.   Therefore, our office has canceled all appointments during this time period.  However, we will still be available for emergency treatment.  Dr. Burds can be reached by calling our office at 515-244-9565 at which time you will be prompted to press a number on your phone’s keypad to connect directly to his cell phone.

Many times, patients are unsure about what classifies as a dental emergency.  Certainly pain and/or swelling are dental emergencies.  But sometimes, patients underestimate the severity of their condition.  Therefore, if in doubt, please call us.  We are happy to at least answer your questions over the phone, and if we determine that your condition needs immediate attention, then we will make accommodations to meet you at the office and take care of it.

With our recent updates in technology, we can remotely check our voicemail, email, and text messages daily.  If your message is not urgent, we will get back to you when we return to the office.  If your message requires a more immediate response, please indicate such and one of our staff members will get back to you within 24 hours.

Please continue to keep yourself safe and follow all recommendations as given by the Center for Disease Control.  It is also very important to your overall health that you continue to practice excellent oral hygiene.

We look forward to seeing you at your next appointment once it has been determined that the risk of this virus spreading is controlled.

Sincerely,

Drs. Burds & McCaulley and the entire Gateway Dental Group team