Update letters - new associates and Doctor's return from leave of absence,
​followed by a letter to patients regarding covid.
Please review the covid questionnaire questions (below) before visiting us.  :)

11-29-21
Dear patients of Little House Dentistry,

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to take a temporary departure from our practice in order to be fully attentive to my dog Amos during the end of his life.  I know many of you had to trust me in a new way, by trusting the doctors that I had in my place.  I have now returned from my absence, and it has been a warm and welcoming experience so far.  Amos was such a special being, and I am learning a lot through this loss, thanks for your gentleness and understanding.  

Many of you met either Dr. Catherine Tien or Dr. Randi Polster.  These women are not only quality dentists but lovely people.  I hope your visits were happy and as restorative as a dental visit should be.  I know they cared a great deal about making the right decisions and providing you with excellent care. 

We have mostly worked out our new path forward at Little House Dentistry. 

Dr. Tien has decided to pursue a career in education rather than private practice.  She has taken a position as professor with the ACC School of Dental Hygiene.  We are very proud of her for carving her own path.  Our practice has really benefited by her clear and systematic way of seeing and explaining things.  We intend to continue collaboration, for the sake of keeping private practice and education in dialogue, as perhaps they should be.  What a cool opportunity for all of us! 

Dr. Polster has decided to make her associateship with Little House a permanent placement.  So beginning in December, she and I will be the two dentist providers, intending to harmoniously share our schedule of patient care.  We hope that you will trust us equally, as we are both fully committed to doing excellent dentistry and to keeping your best interest at heart.

Sincerely,
Colleen Nothern DDS



9-6-21
​Dear patients,

We would first like to extend our best wishes for you and your families, for your health and safety as well as your economic and personal well-being.  What a crazy string of experiences this pandemic has caused!  We really hope everyone is faring as well as possible.  It feels good to be seeing you though these times, and to feel a little normalcy in the community we create among ourselves.

Our little house is 100% committed to doing our best to make our facility clean and safe for you and ourselves.  We are practicing a comprehensive infection-control plan with some newly implemented protocols.  In order to prepare you for your visit, please note the following changes which directly involve you:

We have slowed down our schedule.  This means that we have more time to do all the extra things we do to keep everyone safer.  As a byproduct, we are booking out farther than you are probably used to.  So don't wait until you want to be seen to schedule, you will need to think ahead in a way that makes sense for your treatment.  In the meantime, we are expanding our capacity to serve you.  We are very happy to report we have hired another dentist to help us two days a week!  (more to come).  And we are looking for just the right additional hygienist.  We are working on fixing up a new room.  Until we are offering the extended schedule, thank you for your patience and flexibility!

We are running a “virtual reception area,” which means that you and the other patients will wait in their cars until everything is fully prepared in the treatment rooms.  Please call us when you arrive to our parking lot.  We will advise you of when it is time to come in and which door you should use.  We will meet you at the door, take your temperature, and provide you with our covid questionnaire.  Please see below to review these questions ahead of time.  If you answer yes to one of our questions, we will need to reschedule your visit.  

Please do not bring guests to your appointments.  Please do bring something warm to cover yourself.  Our air conditioner will be set cooler than it used to be, and we cannot keep up with our PPE laundry if we use our own blankets to warm you.

Patients, we know that we cannot guarantee absolute safety, but we have done exceptionally well to consider as much as we can reasonably consider to that aim.  If you would like to read more about what specific changes dental offices are making for community safety, call us with questions or reference the Texas Dental Association.
 
Colleen Nothern DDS

Questionnaire Questions:
Our current form is based on our stage 5 status.  We are looking for all NO answers, with some but few exceptions to be made.  Please bring up your concerns by phone with Sonya when scheduling.
Have you been sharing time and space with someone who is sick?
Are you currently awaiting results of a covid-19 test, or recently tested positive?
Do you have, or have you recently had a fever, dry cough, or shortness of breath?
Do you have a runny nose, sore throat, or have you lost your sense of taste/smell?
Do you have sneezing watery eyes, and or sinus pain/pressure that is unusual for you and not related to seasonal allergies?
Have you experienced uncommon headaches, fatigue, or weakness?
In the last 14 days, have you been without a mask, in a crowd of 10 + people?
In the last 14 days, have you travelled to any foreign country or within the US?
In the last 14 days, have you flown in an airplane, (as stage 5 guidance is requiring 14 days quarantine)?


​Insurance Update:
As of January 1, 2021, we are no longer in network with Humana.  We hope you will understand: due to our recent financial constraints, we can no longer remain in contract with them, as they were not reimbursing us at what we considered fair and sustainable fees.
​
Please note: This does not mean you need to find another dentist if you have Humana.  We are doing everything we can to work with our Humana patients to keep them happy here.  Please ask Sonya how this actually affects you for your next visit before you jump ship.   We sincerely appreciate you.

We are still in network with Delta Dental.  We still take all PPO insurance and file your insurance for you.