We are now about four months into the new COVID-19 “era”, and I wanted to give our patient family an update on where we stand and what the foreseeable future may look like here at Meadows Orthodontics.

Because of the COVID 19 pandemic, we have been asked, “Are you still making appointments for new patient consultations?” The answer now is “yes!”, as Douglas county currently has been cleared for dental offices to re-open. We are making major adjustments to our schedule to accommodate patients and families that wish to be seen as soon as possible. There are several things we think are important for the Castle Rock community to be aware of, and the steps we are taking at Meadows Orthodontics to accommodate and protect our new and existing patients. 

• If you are a new patient, or have a child that needs a consult, please call us at 303-660-0112 to schedule a consultation. We are currently open to see new patient consults! If we receive word from from the governing agencies that we have to close again temporarily, we will update our website immediately.

• We recommend setting up a new exam appointment sooner than later, as we will be scheduling the patients that had existing appointments during the temporary closure in the order that they were originally scheduled. This will obviously create a backup of patients that need to be seen. Fortunately, our setup in Castle Rock is going to make it incredibly accommodating and as safe as possible for scheduling existing AND new patients. Our plan to do this is as follows:

USING TWO OFFICES WITH TWO DIFFERENT TEAMS:

We have two offices in Castle Rock; one in the Meadows, and one in the Founders/Terrain area. Until the COVID situation is under control in the U.S., we are going to maximize distancing in our offices by dividing our staff into two teams.

We will be extending our hours, dividing the two teams to be open six days a week in Castle Rock, with extended evening hours which will significantly reduce the number of people in our office at one time, but will increase the amount of patients that we will see each week until we are caught up. This will allow my staff to work the same number of hours as before, but I will be working many more (it’s lucky that I used to be a dairy farmer with crazy long hours!).

NEW SCREENING PROTOCOL

All patients and parents will be screened prior to entering the office, and we will take your temperature with a temporal (forehead) scan.  Screening questions will be asked of every patient and their accompanying parent.  A waiver will need to be signed by the parent for themselves or their minor child at every appointment until further notice (hopefully we will be back to normal soon!). 

VIRTUAL WAITING ROOM:

We are asking that only the patient enter our office, while parents and siblings stay in their cars. We will communicate by phone, and proper distancing. Exceptions to this are a younger child who needs a parent with them, new patient consultations, and a parent of a special needs child.  Parents are asked to stand or sit at least six feet away from the orthodontic assistant and Dr. Rejman.

NEW OSHA and PPP GUIDELINES:

In addition to the normal disinfection and sterilization standards by OSHA and the CDC, we have decided as an office to greatly increase the “layers” of protection for our patients and staff that will be our new standard moving forward. Changes that we are currently implementing to achieve these goals are the following:

We have ordered the highest quality medical grade air-filtration units available, from a company called Surgically Clean Air. We decided to place three of them in our treatment areas (with two additional HEPA filters), which will give us an amazingly fast turn-over and purification of air volume in our office. It is a multi-stage filtration system which also targets viruses on multiple levels. This is to maximize the “airborne” layer of protection in our offices, which is especially important with the COVID mode of transmission (but will also be amazing even after the virus is under control in the U.S.). 

We are retrofitting all of our faucets and soap dispensers (a total of 9) to touchless technology. This will greatly help to eliminate cross-contamination during handwashing, and will allow more efficient and greater compliance of handwashing for both our patients and our staff. This is to help improve the “contact” layer of protection. 

We are greatly increasing the amount and accessibility of medical grade hand sanitizer in our offices, and will have dispensers present at every treatment chair (instead of just on our counters and walls), so that our patients and assistants will have easier and more immediate access to them. 

WASHING and SANITIZING:

The CDC currently recommends using alcohol based hand sanitizer between patients, unless hands are visibly soiled which requires hand washing. We are going to exceed the CDC recommendations by requiring assistants to sanitize every time they remove their gloves (even if staying with their same patient), AND to wash their hands in between every patient. Is this a bit redundant? Yes, but we have found that patients and families usually do not see us using the sanitizer (assistants often apply it in our sterilization room). We want to help not only make things more hygienic, but also more visible.   

During this period of trying to contain the COVID pandemic, the CDA and CDC are working on releasing guidelines for dental offices to re-open. Depending on the procedure, you will likely see us in a variety of facemasks, face shields, disposable gowns, etc… This is going to be a fluid situation as the virus gets under control, and we will adhere to suggested and mandated protocols. Please don’t laugh at us if we look funny! ☺

Please be patient and understanding with dental and medical professionals during this time. We have your family’s best interest in mind and are trying to protect you and the community the best that we can.  At the same time, we are required to follow certain guidelines.  There will be some who think that the dental and medical communities are “over-doing it”, but we would rather error on the side of being overly cautious at this time. This is what I would want for my own family, and so far the vast majority of our parents and patients agree and appreciate our efforts.

Thank you!  Stay safe and healthy!

-Dr. Dan and staff

We are in our third week of closure due to the covid19 outbreak, and the situation has been very difficult for all orthodontic offices and their patients across the country. It is especially challenging for our profession, as we have so many patients that have braces on their teeth, but we cannot currently see them in our office. I wanted to let my patients know that I am doing all that I can, and am working so hard to keep their treatments progressing as much as possible during this time period. While we are all in stay at home mode, here are some things that I am doing, and things you can do at home, to keep your teeth moving in a positive direction.

1. I am currently calling or Facetiming all of my patients individually to discuss their unique cases. Some of you have active springs, rubber bands, facemasks for underbites, expanders, …etc. Sometimes a phone conversation is enough to encourage you to keep wearing elastics, while others I may want to get a good look at through Facetime or texting photos of your teeth. I am going through my schedule day by day to make these calls, and I have had conversations with over 400 patients so far, with over 800 to go. Hang in there, I will get to you all! It is certainly keeping me busy during this time, and you all have been Sooooo nice and understanding with this situation.
2. Please feel free to communicate with me. I can truly tell you that I care about my patients and the community more than you can imagine, and I hope everyone understands how much all of this is weighing on me. I have many people that were supposed to have braces removed (some that are moving out of the state or leaving for the military) that now have to be delayed until this passes. These are tough situations, and we will be working with you all to get through your individual situations. I will sitting in our (empty) office every week answering your questions and concerns, and my cell phone is available to call personally.
3. Keep wearing your rubber bands if you have been asked to do so at your last appointment! This will keep your treatment moving along and getting you closer to being finished. Parents, please check your kids often, and give me a call if their rubber band supply is running low. We can deliver envelopes of elastics “curbside” to pick up if you need more (to keep our distance during this time)!
4. Keep your teeth clean! As many of you know, we spend much of our time coaching how to brush, and how to reach spots that you are missing with your brush. Parents: now that many of you are around your kids more at home, please check them at least every other day to make sure they are removing plaque from around their braces and gum lines. Plaque looks like a pasty-white material that accumulates in these areas . I encourage parents to help brush these areas, even with teens that need the help (I did this with my own kids!).
5. We will be in touch with you to set up appointments as soon as this passes and we can re-open. To accommodate the large number of people that will need to be seen, we will be opening additional days of the week, and will be extending our hours that we will be open. We will also be implementing new levels of protection for our patients and for our staff and myself that go beyond the CDC and OSHA disinfection standards. Please feel free to ask me about these changes at any time! They are quite extensive, and will be a permanent change, but it will be for the better moving forward.

Thank you for reading through this. I miss seeing you all! Our goals are for all of us to get through this with our health, and to be here for all of your concerns. Stay healthy Castle Rock!

Dr. Dan 🙂

The recent coronavirus outbreak has had an increasing impact on all of us here in Colorado. I wanted to take the time to update and familiarize our patients and their families about our response to this growing concern, in addition to what we have been practicing as standard procedure for years.  The list below includes things that we have worked on since opening, but in recent months this outbreak has been an opportunity for us to re-examine and re-enforce our procedures.  This has taken us to a point well above and beyond what are called standard (or universal) precautions as recommended by OSHA and the CDC to minimize the transmission of disease and infections.

1. For the past several months we have had daily updates, discussions, and training with our staff regarding COVID-19 (and other “germs”). We have kept our staff up to date with the virus and its course, and we will continue to do so. The staff are crystal clear about how important it is to be held to the very highest standards regarding infection control and hygienic practices for our patients, the community, and for themselves.
2. We have a dedicated orthodontic technician who is responsible for OSHA compliance and training.  She helps me and my office manager with examining and monitoring our team with continual self-examination and staff education. This is a constant process, and we have found that having a dedicated set of eyes on our team has elevated everyone’s awareness and habits. Our team goal is to go above and beyond standard protocols.
3. I use this analogy way too much with our staff, but it is true: Great sports teams reinforce and practice the basics, no matter how simple, that they learned long ago. It may sound repetitive to them, but we review the basics often: Cover coughs and sneezes or excuse yourself to do so. Wash your hands before work, after breaks, after eating, after using the bathroom, after cleaning waste baskets, and after work. Use healthcare grade hand sanitizer every time you remove your gloves. Don’t touch the eyes, nose or mouth, at work. And if you are feeling the slightest bit sick, STAY HOME. I have stressed that cost of materials and supplies is not a concern when it comes to cleanliness, and to use sanitizers and gloves liberally for cleanliness.
4. Especially during this period of time, we have made it clear to staff that they will have paid sick leave. This is to ensure they will stay home when not feeling well, without the fear of losing income. I do not want unwell employees working on my patients. This applies to me as well.
5. We are posting signs and informing patients to stay home and cancel their appointment if they are having flu-like symptoms or feel unwell. We can always reschedule an appointment! We are also encouraging our patients to reschedule if someone in their shared household has flu-like symptoms. Our staff is being trained to recognize symptoms, and to inform me of noted symptoms.
6. We adhere to standard contact and airborne precautions. This includes the use of gloves, eye protection, and face masks. The CDC recommends the use of healthcare grade hand sanitizer before and after patient contact and protective glove removal, and we have this readily available at each workstation, and in every treatment room. We have a total of 12-14 pump bottles on the counters and wall mounted units in each office so that they are always within reach wherever a team member may be.
7. Recent changes: While this virus is an issue, we are working on reducing contact such as handshaking and have temporarily shut down the xbox ☹to reduce exposure risks (sorry kids!). Limiting handshaking has been especially hard for me, and when we do, we encourage use of sanitizer.
8. We have always been very open to parents and family accompanying the patient to the treatment room for their appointment. This is a part of what has made our practice special, but until this recent concern is reduced, we will be asking our families to help reduce crowds, stay in the waiting room if not being worked on, and to reduce bringing in the entire “gang” if possible. There will be no reduction in the amount of communication patients and parents receive about their treatment though. Please be mindful and help us work together! We of course will understand if young children require parent support and company. When this health concern passes, we will return to the full family atmosphere.
9. I don’t think many in the public are aware of the time and effort that our team puts into sterilization and cleaning. We have done this vigorously for years, but again, these times have been a reminder to reinforce the basics. We have an assembly line like progression for all our instruments to be sterilized. It starts with ultrasonic debridement and disinfectant, rinsing, bagging in individualized sterilization bags, date stamping, and steam pressure sterilization to the highest standard that kills bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores. We use disposable headrest covers and barriers for mouse and overhead light handles. At each workstation there is healthcare grade hand sanitizer and protective eye wear is required. In between patients, the workstation is sprayed with surface disinfectant that again is tuberculocidal, bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal. After the spray, all surfaces are wiped, including all non- working surfaces with Clorox.
10. We have a designated “floater” technician that oversees wiping and disinfecting surfaces, counter tops, sinks, door handles, pens, etc… at least every ½ hour. They also help to retrieve instruments and supplies for the assistants working on patients so that they reduce the amount of de-gloving or leaving the workstation during appointments.

Sounds like a lot of work, right? We have had many employees that start with us, even after years of working in our profession, and are shocked at how rigorous we are with the above. Most are more than happy to conform and to have higher standards as professionals, but I make it clear that if they cannot meet these standards with a great attitude, they are not a fit for this practice.

Our team of employees are humans, and over the years we have had talks with individuals about incidents that myself or patients have witnessed that need addressing to raise standards. This involves immediate discussions, education, and then re-enforcement and re-assessment. It is a never-ending endeavor! We always welcome our community of patients to comment on any concerns they may have, and I will be sure to address these concerns. Please do not be shy about any questions you may have. We are here to not only provide the best orthodontic care possible, but to provide the safest environment possible for our patients.

-Dr. Dan

I have written many blogs over the years about orthodontic issues that are relevant to my patients in Castle Rock, and I recently set out to write an article on Mail Order Aligners (such as Smile Direct), and other aligner options that are increasingly popping up. I ran across an article from Laster Orthodontics in North Carolina that was just perfect. I received permission to direct my readers to their site: https://www.lasterortho.com/blog/the-dangers-of-mail-order-aligners. This is an excellent article, and is a must read for anyone who is thinking about using these mail order services.

The day has arrived that you will have your braces removed at Meadows Orthodontics…how exiting! Kids and adults alike appreciate knowing what is in store for them on this big day. Here are some things to expect.

Our entire office is involved on this day to make it a celebration! Our entire staff is happy on this day also, as our combined efforts have paid off, and we all get to the the beautiful results! We have many surprises planned for this day (I guess not so much of a surprise if you are reading this :). After your braces are removed, we give you the option of taking pictures with us, complete with confetti, and fun get-up (sunglasses, etc…)if you wish. We have bubbles to run through, and give you some special chewy, crunchy treats (that you were supposed to avoid during braces!).

As far as sensitivity is concerned, everybody is different. The vast majority of people have very little sensitivity while we removed the braces and “cement” that held them on. Some people do have very sensitive teeth, and they are usually well aware of this, as they have been sensitive to cold water, ice cream, etc… for most of their lives. We are very sensitive to this, and we take as many pauses and breaks as needed to get them all polished up and shiny in the most comfortable way.

Believe it or not, we have a number of kids who are sad to have their braces removed, as they have enjoyed using them and the colored elastics as “accessories” to their outfits! However, most people are thrilled to have them removed and to be “free” again. The most common description we hear when braces are first removed is, “My teeth feel so slippery, or slimy”. This is because the  new glassy smooth surface of the teeth feels so different than the braces that were previously there.

After they are all polished up, we take a final panoramic image to check root health, wisdom teeth, etc. I always recommend that they see their dentist soon after the braces are removed for a cleaning and a cavity check. Some patients choose to ask their dentist about whitening options at this point, for an even more eye catching smile. We also fit retainers, and review how important it is to regularly wear them at night. The great thing is that the retainers do NOT need to be worn during the day after braces are removed, like when I was younger.  All in all, it is such a happy and exciting day all around!

Dan Rejman, DDS, MS, is an orthodontic specialist with two offices in Castle Rock, Colorado.

I just dropped my daughter off at college a week and a half ago in Arizona. Where has the time gone, and how did my little girl grow up so fast? Being the big tooth dork that I am, I went through a mental dental check list to make sure that she was all set, and hopefully would not have any dental issues to deal with since she is so far away. I thought this would be a good time to write an article on what parents may want to add to their own child’s checklist before their first big move away from home.

• If they have had orthodontic treatment and their braces have been removed, make sure that they bring their retainers with them! I see patients that return from their first semester of college, and their parents see that they have not been wearing their retainers at night, and their teeth have started to shift and become misaligned. Amid the excitement and stress of being away from home for the first time, it is common for kids to stop wearing their retainers during this period of time. In general, we recommend wearing retainers at night for life, as teeth will most always tend to wander as we age, whether you have had orthodontic work or not. Remind your children who have recently moved to continue their retainer wear, as this will avoid the cost of replacing the retainers, or even having to return to braces or aligners if their teeth have shifted substantially.
• If they loose or break a retainer while away, call your orthodontist immediately! Depending on the timing and their location, we will help you find the help you need to keep your teeth aligned and protected.
• We also have young adults who are still in orthodontic treatment when they head off to college. If their school is relatively local to castle Rock and the Denver area, we can continue to see them on a regular basis. We have had several kids who attended a college far enough away that we had to work out a schedule with a more local orthodontist to see them while they were out of state. Of course, we would like to finish them before their big move away, but life does happen, and it is important to make a plan with your orthodontist if college and orthodontic treatment overlaps.
• It is always a good idea to have a cleaning and dental exam/cavity check before heading off to college. As with retainers, this can be a time in life where the basics seem to slip, and it is important to keep up with proper dental health and regular care.
• My daughter started to have sensitivity in her wisdom teeth (third molar) areas several months before she left for college. We made an appointment to have a consult with an oral surgeon, and had the wisdom teeth removed several weeks before she left. One think to be aware of: oral surgeons are usually very busy during the summer months, and you may have to wait longer for procedures during this time of the year. We waited a bit to long, and certainly added some stress to my daughter’s life as she had swollen cheeks right up until the day we headed out to college. Your dentist or orthodontist can let you know if getting third molars extracted are recommended or not at this age.
• This can also be the age where your child may reach the point where they are not covered under your dental health insurance. This could impact your dental, orthodontic, or oral surgery coverage. Insurance plans and coverage vary, so it is a good idea to check how long your children are under your insurance umbrella.

I hope this helps. Having my first child move away was emotional for all of us, and worrying about teeth was the last thing on her mind. But being prepared will help protect your family’s orthodontic investment and beautiful smile!

Dr Dan Rejman is an orthodontic specialist in private practice in Castle Rock, Colorado. Four of his own children have had, or are in, orthodontic treatment!

I just returned from the American Association of Orthodontists annual meeting (which is massive in size and attendance) which was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center this year. Several highlights: My family ate at the restaurant James Beach, which was featured in my wife’s favorite movie, “I Love You Man”. They serve amazing fish, shrimp, and lobster tacos.  We took our kids to Chinatown, toured several colleges in the area, and we watched real surfers for the first time!

Most of my time however, was spent teaching the new preparatory course for the American Board of Orthodontics Scenario Based Examination. As a councilman for the College of Diplomates of the ABO, one of our responsibilities is to educate our colleagues and the public about Board Certification for our specialty of orthodontics. I have taught the preparatory course since 2014, but this was the first year of the new board examination format, and the course was doubled from 4 hours to 8 hours. It has been very uplifting to watch the very positive response and interest within our specialty to pursue board certification in orthodontics. In an age where seemingly every month there is a new product on T.V. promising “quicker, faster, cheeper, easier” (most of which have no professional supervision, an unfortunate reminder that salesman have such a forum in today’s world), our profession is taking the higher road, and a vast number of orthodontists are renewing or continuing their dedication to providing the highest possible care for patients through education, research, science, and evidence-based techniques… which is what becoming board certified is all about.

During the course this past Friday, I saw the attendees grasp what a difficult examination this would be (a two hour oral examination in front of twelve peers, only after passing a written examination), and embrace the rigorous standards that are expected of them. It will be one of the most difficult things that they will ever have to prepare for, and it will be stressful. But I hope the general public realizes the amount of dedication that most orthodontists pour into this profession every day of our lives to make the quality of care we deliver soar way above what other, non- orthodontic specialty sources provide (especially unsupervised products such as Smile Direct). It was a lot off work on my part to prepare to teach this course, but it was so rewarding to see the continued dedication from my fellow peers.

Dr. Dan Rejman has two private practices in Castle Rock, Colorado, and has been Board Certified by the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) since 2007.

We are so excited and proud to be named a 5280 Top Orthodontist in Castle Rock, now for the eighth straight year! This honor is special, as our dental peers nominate and vote for professionals to receive this honor. As the office manager, and of our orthodontist Dr. Dan Rejman, at Meadows Orthodontics, I would like to praise our amazing staff, our amazing and talented orthodontist, our local dentists that refer patients to our office, and the families of Castle Rock that make it a joy to come to work every day to create stunning smiles. Over the years here, our dedication to the town of Castle Rock has earned a dedicated following, and I would like to list the local and regional honors that we are so grateful to have received over the years:

• Voted a TOP ORTHODONTIST in Colorado’s 5280 magazine in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 (voted on by dental peers)
• Voted Best-of-the-Best, “Best Orthodontist in Castle Rock”  in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, Castle Rock News Press (voted by the community)
• Voted “Best Orthodontist in Castle Rock,” Douglas County’s Finest, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.  Douglas County Living Magazine (voted by the public)

Constantly striving to improve, and consistently trying to provide our patients with the best experience possible has led us to being honored with the above recognition. Thank you Castle Rock!

Julie Rejman

Meadows Orthodontics is a privately owned orthodontic specialty practice that is open full time, solely in Castle Rock, CO!

2018 was an amazing year for us here at Meadows Orthodontics. I would like to thank all of our wonderful patients and their families that keep providing myself and my staff with inspiration, great attitudes, nice company and new friendships. I would also like to thank my wonderful staff that does so much to provide excellent care, and makes it fun for me to come to work everyday. Here are some photos from this year- first some before and afters of the last two patients who had their braces removed this year (of almost 500!). The “before” braces pictures are the first and third ones, with the “after” braces just below them -the second and fourth (I am much better with teeth than I am with Word Press laying out blogs!). Just below are a sample of the hundreds of paintings our patients have done for our two Castle Rock offices. This continues to be a really fun tradition, and provides such an inspiring, cute, and interesting decor that keeps getting bigger every week! Below this picture are several fun pictures of patients after getting their braces off, complete with confetti, and a picture of our team on Halloween dressed as Trolls! Enjoy, and see you in 2019!