06/01/21
Our Outside Waiting Room
It is hard to believe that a full year has passed since our office reopened for routine hygiene and elective dental procedures. Our fully vaccinated staff is excited to enter the summer of 2021 with an ongoing commitment to providing exceptional dental care in a safe environment!
The investments we have made to our technology and safety protocols have been successful in keeping our office and staff free from COVID-19 infection or transmission throughout the pandemic, and these safety measures will continue as our patients’ health and safety remain our top priority. As the recommendations of the CDC and NJ Dental Board continue to evolve, we have made ongoing changes to our protocols which are listed on our website.
Please note the following protocols and minor changes to our schedule beginning in June.
- Please continue to complete the online health update and screening forms prior to your appointment.
- Express Check-in will continue.
- Please call when you arrive at the office. Staff will greet you at the front door (Gordonhurst Avenue entrance) and escort you directly to your treatment room.
- Please note that we now have an outside waiting room with several adirondack chairs for use prior to your visit or during your family member’s visit.
- Patients will exit from the parking lot door.
- Please continue to wear masks in all common areas of the office. Although the entire staff is fully vaccinated, we do treat children under 12 and immunocompromised adult patients who remain vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus. We appreciate your support in maintaining a safe indoor environment for all patients.
- Multilevel clinical and disinfection safety protocols that exceed standard dental universal precautions will continue along with appropriate PPE for all staff.
- Limited Contact and No-Touch Policies including virtual checkout, e-statements and remote credit card payment will continue. Our staff is always available to assist you in the checkout process.
- Teledentistry Virtual Visits for consultations, new patient interviews and evaluation of dental concerns will continue.
- These visits are complementary and are a good option for patients who would like to discuss their concerns before coming to the office.
- Teledentistry visits are scheduled and conducted remotely with Dr. Ferguson or Dr. Cocchia, both of whom genuinely enjoy speaking with patients without the distraction of PPE and air filtration noise.
- The office will be open on Monday (8-5), Tuesday (8-8), Wednesday (8-6), Thursday (8-8), Friday (8-2), and on 2 to 3 Saturdays per month (8-2).
During the last year of the COVID-19 pandemic, our staff has enjoyed remaining connected - interacting with and seeing patients on a regular basis, and our office has continued to be extremely busy. Because your dental health is an important element of your overall well-being, we encourage you to contact us early to schedule your restorative and routine oral care. Although the demand for dental hygiene appointments is high, we will make every effort to schedule you as soon as possible. As always, we are available to see emergency patients as needed. You can request an appointment online or by calling us at 973-744-3181.
We are all looking forward to a healthy and joyful year as our community returns to a more normal environment. We hope to see you soon!
The Team at Ferguson Dental
01/05/21
Today was a big day for several members of Ferguson Dental as they received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine! We are excited and grateful to participate as NJ begins vaccinating healthcare workers and first responders, and we are looking forward to the vaccine quickly becoming available to our wider community and patients!
Please know that all comprehensive clinical safety protocols will continue to ensure our patients' safety (see our website for details of our multilayered safety protocols).
Huge shout out to Frank Del Gaudio of the Essex County Department of Health, staff and volunteers of the Essex County Covid 19 vaccination program - we appreciate your efforts to provide a safe, well-organized, friendly, and vital service to our community - thank you!!!!
Local Resources for Covid-19 Vaccinations:
05/21/20
Letter to our Patients
During our recent closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have remained available to treat patients in need of emergency dental procedures. We are pleased to announce that Ferguson Dental is scheduling routine hygiene and elective dental procedures, utilizing new safety protocols, beginning on May 26th, subject to NJ State and NJ Dental Board guidance.
As we embrace our new normal, we want to assure you that your health and safety remain our top priority. While our office has been closed for over two months, we have been hard at work creating the safest possible environment for you and our staff. We have made significant investments in technology and implemented extensive changes to our policies and procedures that go beyond the recommendations of the ADA and CDC. Listed below are a few of the changes that you can expect when visiting our office. Additional details will be posted on our website and specific instructions for your visit will be provided in your appointment confirmation email.
We encourage you to schedule your restorative and routine oral care as your dental health is an important element of your overall well-being. We anticipate that the demand for dental hygiene appointments will exceed the limited appointments available in our modified schedule. If you had a visit cancelled in the past few months, we will be reaching out to you individually. Please be patient as we work hard to meet everyone’s specific needs.
You can also request an appointment online or calling us at 973-744-3181.
We’ve missed you and are excited to return to doing what we love most - providing our patients with the best dental care available. The entire staff is committed to providing exceptional care in a safe but still friendly and comfortable environment. We are all looking forward to seeing you soon!
The Team at Ferguson Dental
05/05/20
If you are wondering if your dental concern is worth calling the office about, the short answer is YES. We encourage you to communicate early with Dr. Ferguson or Dr. Cocchia who will be able to help you determine if your concern requires a visit to the office or emergency dental treatment. Ferguson Dental has also embraced teledentistry technology which allows for a virtual visit with a doctor to diagnose dental concerns remotely. The process is easy and we are able to text you a link to a secure virtual environment.
When it is necessary to schedule an appointment, Ferguson Dental has made significant investments to facilitate emergency dental treatment in a safe environment utilizing appropriate PPE and advanced air filtration along with additional safety procedures and policies. Our safety protocols include, but are not limited to, express check-in from your car, health screening prior to entering the office, limited contact with office staff or other patients, sterilized instruments and a clean, sanitized environment, and virtual, express check-out. Please note, these additional precautions will also be implemented when we are able to schedule routine and elective dental appointments.
The ADA and NJ State Dental board has issued
guidelines for dental treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to follow those guidelines for the safety of our patients, staff and community. The information below is a summary of the current ADA guidelines for treating dental emergencies.
Dental concerns are rarely severe or life threatening. Situations that are a true health emergency require immediate treatment in an hospital emergency room. These include:
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Severe infection and swelling that make it difficult to breath or swallow
- Trauma involving facial bones that compromise the ability to breath
Urgent dental care focuses on the management of conditions that require attention to relieve pain and/or risk of infection and to alleviate the burden on hospital emergency departments. These dental concerns should be treated as minimally invasively as possible. Emergency dental treatment is available at Ferguson Dental Associates. Please contact us if you are experiencing any of the following:- Dental Pain
- Wisdom tooth pain and/or gum infection
- Dry sockets
- Abscess, or localized bacterial infection resulting in localized pain and swelling
- Tooth fracture resulting in pain or causing soft tissue trauma
- Dental trauma resulting in a loose or knocked out tooth
- Broken crown or bridge
- Abnormal tissue or lesion in the mouth requiring an evaluation or biopsy
Other urgent emergency dental procedures:- Extensive dental caries or defective restorations causing pain
- Suture removal
- Denture adjustments or repairs when function is impeded, related to pain, or medical conditions
- Root canal treatment for patients experiencing pain
- Snipping or adjustment of an orthodontic wire or appliances creating pain or discomfort
- Dental treatment that is required prior to critical medical procedures
We are not currently treating routine or non-urgent dental procedures. These include but are not limited to:- Initial or periodic oral examinations and recall visits, including routine radiographs
- Routine dental cleaning and preventive therapies
- Orthodontic procedures other than those to address acute issues (e.g. pain, infection, trauma) or other issues critically necessary to prevent harm to the patient
- Extraction of asymptomatic teeth
- Restorative dentistry including treatment of asymptomatic cavities
- Aesthetic dental procedures
07/30/19
We are excited to announce that Dr. Rachael Cocchia will be joining Ferguson Dental Associates as a full-time Dental Associate starting in August of 2019. Dr. Cocchia brings her extensive clinical skills, experience in the treatment and planning of complex dental restorations for both adults and pediatric patients, and a passion for the latest dental advancements and procedures to Ferguson Dental Associates.
Dr. Cocchia recently completed her post graduate Dental General Practice residency at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. During her residency, she acquired advanced training in restorative dentistry, prosthodontics, endodontics, implants, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, orthodontics, and anxiety control.
In 2018, Dr. Cocchia completed her Doctorate of Dental Medicine at Rutgers University’s School of Dental Medicine. Recognized by the Dental School faculty for her advanced clinical skills, Dr. Cocchia was selected to be a clinical tutor for students in Operative Dentistry, Fixed Prosthodontics, Complete Dentures and Dental Anatomy Labs.
Dr. Cocchia graduated Magna Cum Laude from Rutgers University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and Applied Kinesiology and a minor in Nutrition. Currently, Dr. Cocchia is a Member of Gamma Pi Delta Prosthodontic Honor Society, and is an active member of the American Dental Association and New Jersey Dental Association.
After a summer wedding in Italy, Dr. Cocchia and her husband Milos will reside in Wood Ridge, NJ. Both are avid foodies and cyclists and are looking forward to exploring the restaurants and trails of Montclair and Northern, NJ.
