Our Blog

Dear Mack and Hansen Orthodontics Family,

We are beyond ready to get back to work and see everyone that we have missed so much! We hope this letter finds everyone healthy, happy and prepared to ease back into regular routines. Much has changed since we saw you last. We are all still coming to grips with the COVID-19 pandemic and events triggered by it. Everyone on the planet has been affected by COVID-19. We want to update you on our office, its measured re-opening, and the steps we are taking to ensure we do everything possible to keep our patients and our team healthy.

While our office has been closed, Dr. Mack, Dr. Hansen, and our team have been very busy working to ensure each of our patients are cared for! From conducting virtual visits, to setting up MHO Pop-Ups to pass out wax and rubber bands in cities outside of Longview, to preparing the office for a safe reopening, we’ve been hard at work and anxiously awaiting seeing your smiles in person! Thanks to our new Virtual Portal, which can be found on our website homepage, we’ve be able to see some patients virtually for regular appointments throughout this time. Moving forward, we plan to continue to use this technology to address issues on the fly, and we will plan your virtual and/or in-person appointments accordingly.

To that end, we will be reopening on Friday, May 1. We will be following rigorous scheduling protocols and office measures per the guidelines of the Texas State Dental Board to ensure the safety and well-being of you, our patients, and our team. We ask for your patience. We had to cancel over 1000 appointments, and we know that there is a strong desire to be seen as soon as possible. We will be adding additional clinical hours to ensure patients are seen in a timely manner. We have already begun rescheduling patients on a first-canceled-first-rescheduled basis, which is fair, efficient, and will serve everyone with getting back on track. The protocols below have been well-thought-out and reviewed countless times by Dr. Mack, Dr. Hansen and our entire team.

Our office procedures have temporarily changed and will include the following:

Appointments:

-Please wait for our office to call you to reschedule your appointments. We have a very accurate and comprehensive list of every appointment canceled, including the day and time. When we do speak with you to schedule your visit, we will conduct a pre-appointment questionnaire over the phone.

- This simple questionnaire will assess who you have been in contact with, your recent travel, if applicable, and the status of your current health. Any question indicating recent exposure to someone with COVID-19 or having signs and symptoms of the same will require us to delay your visit for 3 weeks.  Please note that it is absolutely essential these questions are answered honestly and truthfully for us to continue doing our part in flattening the curve & keeping all of our loved ones safe.

-You will also receive an additional screening form in your appointment reminder text that you receive 2 hours before your visit. You will need to complete this form- it should not take more than a minute and can be found HERE.

-Emergencies will continue to be defined only by trauma or bleeding. For now, broken brackets do not constitute an emergency.

Visits:

- Just as we were doing in early March, we will continue with our virtual waiting room. When you arrive for your appointment, please stay in your car. The front door will remain locked. Please call or text our office upon your arrival. One of our team members will text you to let you know when we are ready to start your visit, so please keep your phone handy after you check in. At that point, the team member will meet you at the front door. Don’t worry– it won’t be this way forever!

- Your temperature will be taken by an MHO Team member using a forehead thermometer. If your temp is over 100 degrees F, we will work to address any issues or concerns with a Virtual Checkup and reschedule your in-office appointment.

-Following Gov. Abbot’s mandate, only the patient that is being treated will be allowed to enter the office. The only exception for this will be for patients under the age of 18. In those situations, only one parent/caregiver may accompany the patient. Absolutely no other family members or friends will be allowed inside. We love to use FaceTime to communicate with any guardian waiting in their car while their child is being seen. Erika, CeCe, and Katelyn will also be able to text a summary of what took place at the visit.

-For any guardians entering the office, please consider bringing your own mask and wearing it inside. Federal guidelines for social distancing and wearing masks in businesses continue, so bring the mask you have been using.

- Maintain the 6-foot social distancing guidelines when in the office until seated in the treatment chair.

- Our brushing station will be temporarily closed during this time period. We ask that all patients brush at home and arrive clean and ready to be seen for their appointment.

-All patients will be provided with a hydrogen peroxide rinse to use once they are seated in their private treatment room.

- We will continue to utilize hospital-level sterilization techniques throughout our office for your safety and health. We will continue to be diligent in our efforts to keep our office safe for you and your family.

MHO Team:

- We will take the temperatures of every team member, including Dr. Mack and Dr. Hansen, immediately upon arrival at work and after lunch. Any team member at 100 F or above will go home.

- Every team member will answer the health questionnaire that our patients are required to answer and will do so every day. If any questions disqualify the team member, they will be sent home following the same procedures we are asking our patients to follow.

General:

- You will find upon arrival that our furniture has been rearranged. You'll also notice other changes made to ensure the health and well-being of our patients and our team including the addition of Medical Grade Air Filters throughout the office and hand sanitizer dispensers everywhere you look. We have also temporarily removed the coffee station and water fridge per instruction by the State Dental Board.  We are so grateful for every one of our patients, and this time away has only served to make us even more thankful for each of you. You are the life-force of our practice, and this is why we are taking your safety VERY seriously. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this crazy time. If you have any questions, please feel free to call our office or call/text, Dr. Mack or Dr. Hansen directly. We love all of you! Most importantly, please remember to be kind to one another- we need that in our world right now!

- Dr. Mack, Dr. Hansen, Brittany, Makenzi, Erika, CeCe, Katelyn, Haylee, Emily, Gabby, and Laikyn

Pre-Visit Wellness Survey Link

Dear Mack and Hansen Orthodontics Family,

Thanks to our new Virtual Portal, which can be found via the PINK button at the bottom our website homepage, we’ve be able to see some patients virtually for regular appointments throughout this time. Moving forward, we plan to continue to use this technology to see certain appointment types and address issues on the fly. Below you will see specific instructions for the select appointment types we can see virtually which include Retainer Checks, Quick Checks for an Expander/Palatal Expander, and Observation/Growth Checks.

For Retainer Checks:

You can complete this at any time during the day of your scheduled visit, it does not have to be exactly at your scheduled appointment time. Please complete the questions via the Virtual Portal by clicking the PINK button at the bottom of our homepage. When it comes time to take your series of selfies, please do so WITH YOUR RETAINERS IN. Turning your camera's flash on will also help provide a clear photo. After submitting all your photos, our team will evaluate how your retainers are fitting and provide further instruction via email or text within 24 hours. If your retainers are not fitting or you lost/broke them, please CALL or TEXT our office (903-212-7737) and let us know.

For Quick Checks for an Expander/Palatal Expander:

You can complete this at any time during the day of your scheduled visit, it does not have to be exactly at your scheduled appointment time. Please complete the questions via the Virtual Portal. When it comes time to take your series of selfies, please turn your camera's flash ON. The most important photos for this visit are the photo of the top set of teeth and the center photo with the patient biting down in their normal/usual bite. After we receive your photos through our portal we will evaluate them and provide further instruction via email or text within 24 hours.

For Observation/Growth Checks:

You can complete this at any time during the day of your scheduled visit, it does not have to be exactly at your scheduled appointment time. Please complete the questions via the Virtual Portal. When it comes time to take your series of selfies, please turn your camera's flash ON. When taking the photos, please try to capture as much of the teeth as possible. This may mean holding the lips or cheeks out of the way when taking the photos. After we receive your photos through our portal we will evaluate them and provide further instruction via email or text within 24 hours. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to let us know (903-212-7737).