Safely Serving Smiles

Renewed Hope and Finding Solutions Together

As we draw to the end of what has been a challenging year, we must stay focused on the safety of our teams and our patients. While we adapt to the new norm, we cannot let our guards down.

Now more than ever, it is imperative that we adhere to the CDC and OSHA safety guidelines and our Offices Reopening Playbook and SOP’s We have seen no transmission of COVID-19 in our offices when appropriate PPE is maintained and social distancing practiced during breaks and lunches. This validates that we have the appropriate protocols, PPE, and safety equipment in the offices to allow our teams to operate and treat our patients in a safe environment. I want to thank our Chief Operating Officer Dale Hockel and his procurement team for their efforts and the exceptional job of staying ahead of industry shortages, and maintaining an ample supply of PPE to support you. With just days before the end of 2020, we still are struggling with new patient appointment availability in a number of offices, and the demand for hygiene. In a business that is largely driven by number of patient visits, we need to collectively focus our work on correcting these two issues. New patient appointments, while being one of the contributors to overall growth and health of a practice, will not gap the decrease in patient visits alone. Simultaneously, we will need to work on increasing the number of hygiene hours. Accordingly, I will be asking each dental director to help find a solution to new patient availability for offices in their region. Looking ahead to 2021, we anticipate a higher demand in new patient visits; and, as the vaccine becomes more widely available to communities across the country, we should see an increase in recare patients returning to our offices. This is why we need to solve the appointment availability for both hygiene and new patients in the final month of 2020, and be ready to meet the demands of 2021.

In early 2021, I am planning to expand our implant business, develop one, formalized program for onboarding new graduates, and reexamine alternative lab options. I am in the process of finalizing a contract to bring on an individual to own and manage the implant part of our business. She has impeccable credentials and I have personally worked with her in our SEF market. I will be making a formal announcement before the end of the month. I will also be partnering with a number of our dental directors to formalize an onboarding program for recent graduates. Finally, we will look to other lab solutions, in an effort to raise the quality of our crowns, while decreasing our cost. In conclusion, I want to take a moment and thank each of our doctors, hygienists, office managers, and frontline team members who continue to serve with courage and provide exceptional care to our patients. Thanks to our divisional vice presidents and regional managers for the exemplary leadership in both shutting down the business and relaunching the business. My thanks to Glory, and her team of hygiene coaches, for their continuous effort to encourage and lead our hygienists and effectively manage the schedules. Without my team of dental directors and your support, leadership, and hard work, I could never have gotten

through 2020. You manage to control provider costs, modify doctor contracts, and all within the period of a few weeks. I am grateful to all the teams at the support staff in Sarasota, Kendall, and across the country for supporting the offices. I’d like to especially recognize the IT department, which has been incredible in the face of both typical and unexpected challenges in 2020. Lastly, I want to thank the senior management team, of which I’m honored to be a part. We truly have proven that we are “Stronger Together” in 2020. Happy Holidays and I look forward to working with all of you to make 2021 our best year ever!

Dr. Don Gallo, Chief Clinical Officer