To our Palmetto Smiles family, friends and patients, we want you to know that we’re here for you during these unprecedented times. We also understand how important it is to stay connected now more than ever. While our doors and hearts are still open to our community, we’ve been forced to limit our hours to keep you and our staff safe, which has made it more difficult to connect with patients who need our help. That’s why we’ve created a virtual visit option to help improve communication during this difficult time.
As your Lexington family dentists, we are health care providers at heart. That doesn’t stop in the face of crisis. Whether you’re unable to or uncomfortable with visiting us in person, you can now connect with us from the safety of your own home. If you have any questions about your dental health or orthodontic treatment, virtual appointments are a safe and simple way to get the answers you need. And if you’re suffering from a dental emergency, we’re absolutely here to support you in person.
So how will you benefit from a virtual appointment with Palmetto Smiles? Read on to learn more.
1. It Complies with Social Distancing Measures
With so many new updates and regulations put in place each day, it can be difficult to know how to help #flattenthecurve. But there’s one simple thing each of us can do to slow the spread of COVID-19: stay home. For most non-urgent dental and orthodontic needs, we can easily provide feedback and advice through a virtual appointment. No need to wear masks or gloves, no risk of contracting or transmitting the virus, no need for non-essential trips outside your home. You can get all the dental help you need from the safety of your own living room.
2. Get Instant Answers from a Familiar Face
When you’re stuck at home and start experiencing unfamiliar symptoms, it can be tempting to turn to the internet for advice. Diving into Dr. Google is rarely a wise idea; you’re more likely to cause yourself even more anxiety during an already difficult time. Virtual appointments are a much better option: you’ll get real-time answers from your own dentist so you can make the most informed decisions for your oral health.
3. Virtual Appointments are User Friendly
It’s extremely easy to set up a virtual visit with your Lexington dentist or orthodontist. All you have to do is fill out a simple form on our website. For orthodontic patients, you’ll also need to upload a few photos of your mouth. Follow the detailed instructions below the intake form to make sure your orthodontist can get a good look at your mouth before your virtual appointment. Virtual appointments are open for new and existing patients, so even if you’re new to Palmetto Smiles, you can still get a head start on treatment. Once you’ve submitted a request for a virtual visit, Drs. Gomez, Hopkins, Nieders, Raines or someone from the Palmetto Smiles team will contact you to set up an appointment.
4. Keep Your Treatment on Track
One of the biggest concerns with not being able to see your orthodontist in person is that it could cause delays to your treatment. We don’t want that and we’re willing to bet you don’t either. Fortunately, for many of our orthodontic patients, Dr. Hopkins can provide feedback during a virtual visit which will allow your treatment to continue as usual. Simply upload a few images of your teeth and Dr. Hopkins will have everything she needs to track and guide your progress.
5. We’re Here for You 24/7
At Palmetto Smiles, we want to do our part to alleviate some of the stress that the current COVID-19 situation has caused our patients. Our call service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we continue to welcome all patients with urgent dental needs into our office. For non-urgent needs, we encourage you to take advantage of a virtual visit. Not only will you be keeping yourself, our staff and our community safer, you’ll be doing your part to help #flattenthecurve.
As we all know all too well right now, life can throw some very unexpected curveballs. Dental emergencies aren’t conveniently put on hold just because the world is in lockdown. In the event of an emergency, please don’t hesitate to call Palmetto Smiles. For current pediatric and general dentistry patients, call our office number at 803-951-9100. For current orthodontic patients, you can text your information and photos to 803-594-4832. Want to know what is considered a dental emergency? Find out here.
We thank each and every one of you for your support and patience during this time. We’re here for you whenever you need us and we’re already counting down the days until we finally get to see your smiling faces in person again.