Virtual Consultation FAQs

Long Beach, CA – As we discovered during the outbreak of COVID-19, business cannot always continue as usual. HD Orthodontics is dedicated to ensuring the health and safety of our patients, and we are committed to providing exceptional care even in trying times. To that end, we are pleased to offer a new virtual consultation tool that can allow us to not only begin treatment for new patients, but also to evaluate progress and address concerns or emergencies that arise for existing patients. 

The tool is easy to use for new or existing patients. Just visit our website from your phone or tablet at hdorthodontics.com and a pop-up will appear. From there, it’s simple to have a consultation all from the comfort of your home. 

• Fill out the virtual consultation form to help us know more about your issue.
• Take a few selfies of your smile, using the directions provided.
• Sit back and relax! Our office will review your submission, and Dr. Desh will contact you with results and next steps.

The virtual consultation tool can allow us to evaluate treatment progress when something prohibits patients from being able to physically visit our offices. That means even if you are on vacation on the other side of the world, you can still receive the same exceptional patient care you’ve come to know and expect from HD Orthodontics, no matter where you are. 

As we’ve seen from the rippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we never know when a situation may arise that requires us to take extra precautions for our patients. We would not have foreseen having to close our office for several weeks, but this virtual consultation tool has allowed us to continue to care for our patients, while also ensuring their health and safety during these times. 

Some issues may be able to be handled via the virtual consultation tool, without requiring an in-office visit. If you have a minor braces emergency, such as a loose or poking wire, Dr. Desh can set up a Facetime or Zoom call to walk you through how to correct it. For our patients who use Invisalign, we can monitor progress via the virtual consultation tool to ensure their smile is progressing as it should. 

In some cases, we may still need to see the patient in person to provide the care that is needed. While we always follow strict infection control procedures, please know that we are taking even further precautions to ensure the safety of our patients and staff.

Once we have confirmed your appointment, our scheduling coordinator will ask some screening questions. Upon your arrival, those questions will be re-confirmed, your temperature will be taken, and you will be asked to sign a COVID-19 consent form. Please know that all of our team members are also screened and have their temperature taken before beginning their workdays.

Patients should call us upon arrival to our office and are asked to wait in the car or at our outdoor seating area until we are ready for you. This ensures the fewest number of people in the office at a time. We also ask that our patients do not bring extra people, such as siblings or friends, to their appointments. Parents may accompany their children; however, they must also undergo all necessary screenings and temperature checks. 

Hand sanitizer is available at the reception desk, as well as throughout the office. Please use it when entering and leaving the office. We also ask that you wear a mask while waiting. Your mask will only be removed during your treatment. 

Magazines will no longer be offered while in the waiting area, as these are difficult to disinfect between patients. iPads will be available by request and are sanitized after each use. You will also notice that our appointments are scheduled to ensure proper social distancing while patients are in the office. This may mean fewer appointment times are available. We ask all patients to arrive on time as we are working hard to ensure appointments stay on track to allow for proper social distancing. 

We have added medical grade HEPA air filtration systems in the treatment areas to help remove airborne particles, and the entire office is disinfected regularly throughout the day. 

Our goal at HD Orthodontics is to provide you with a beautiful, healthy smile, and we plan to make that happen even when you can’t be in our office in person. To learn more about our virtual consultation tool or to begin a consultation, visit hdorthodontics.com today.