I wanted to take a moment to write to you to update you on the latest that is happening in our practice with the hope that you will join me in celebrating and welcoming these new changes. I also wish to bring some peace of mind as we make our way through these very exciting but busy days.
As you can see from the title of this newsletter, someone in our practice is having a baby. At this time, I'd like to formally announce and confirm that I am expecting my 4th baby girl. Above is an image of her at 10 weeks in-vitro, although I am well into my 3rd trimester. It is with much joy that I make this announcement but, because changes are normal and expected in a woman's life prior, during and after childbirth, I wanted to be the one who informed you of those changes in the hopes that it will provide you with some peace of mind.
When I opened up my practice in 2004, I found out that I was a few months pregnant with my first baby. She was born in January of 2005, my second came in March of 2007 and the last one in May of 2011. It is, again, my pleasure to welcome a new baby in 2018, with the same excitement as I did my other little girls. For all of those pregnancies, I have worked through all 9 months and right up to the delivery date. Although I am, now, a mature 41-year-old woman and no longer a youthful 28-year-old as with my first born, my professional and medical approach continues to be the same. For that reason, with the approval of my doctors and barring any complications, my maternity leave will only consist of a 2-week departure from the practice. Thankfully, the nature of my profession has allowed me the benefit of working in this manner because requires less physical activity and strain than many other professions.
In addition, I have made the decision to not bring in another doctor during the time I will be gone. In my experience, it is not always worth it to bring in someone who is unfamiliar with my patients’ needs or my expectations. Unless there is an already developed relationship between the owner and the temporary dentist, such transitions can be uncomfortable and confusing for everyone, ultimately causing more trouble than they are worth. Instead, my staff will use that much needed time to catch up on the many items that we cannot get to on a daily basis but which are important and necessary to uphold the quality of care our patients demand, expect and deserve.
In addition to our new Dental Assistants, in April we added two Hygienists to our team. Thankfully, our practice has been growing steadily over time. Because of this growth, we went through a couple of months where it was difficult to schedule patients fairly quickly. For me that is unacceptable, therefore, I enlisted the help of Hygienists to open up my schedule. They integrated themselves so smoothly into the practice that it has been an absolute pleasure to have them join our team. For now, they are part-time help but, in time, we hope to have them be a more regular part of our day. To get to know our team, I encourage you to visit our website at http://www.reyesdental.com/meet-the-staff/ . They are an amazing group of ladies and I am blessed to have them with me.
Although some of you may, on occasion, have your cleanings completed by our Hygienists, please know that I will continue to perform your exams, discuss treatment needs, ensure the quality of your care and still have many of those laughs and moments which define our doctor/patient relationship in a very special way. I firmly believe that patients should see their doctors at every appointment, regardless of treatment. Of the terrible things I hear about my profession, “I’ve had my teeth cleaned but haven’t seen the doctor in 2 years” is among the worst. I hope that it is never the case in our practice.
My due date is expected to be on September 17th. Although we can make plans in our calendars, only God knows when this baby will arrive. When the time comes, if you are scheduled for an appointment during the 2 weeks following my delivery, please expect a phone call from our office to reschedule your appointment 2 - 3 weeks out. I hope that you will be understanding and flexible should this be the case. During the first two weeks of September, I plan on being here with my hygienists providing care to our patients as we always do. Should all things proceed smoothly, only those patients presently scheduled during the last 2 weeks of September will be affected. If your employer requires advance notice or if you are taking a day off to come see us, please feel free to call us and reschedule for a more convenient time.
I, myself, am physically well and working just as I always do. Over the years, I have learned how to take care of myself properly with the help of my doctors, chiropractor and other healthcare providers. I hope that my announcement provides you with the confidence that you may continue your treatment plans and goals as usual. Having done this 3 times before, I can assure you that things run very smoothly when our patients and our team work together to make it so. For now, I ask that you keep me in your kindest thoughts and prayers for a healthy pregnancy, delivery and recovery. When the time comes, my office staff will send out an email announcing the birth of the baby and the initiation of my short departure. Feel free to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Google + for any announcements regarding our practice.
And finally, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all of you for being so wonderful and generous with me over the course of the last 16 years. Without your patience, kindness and cooperation, it would be incredibly difficult to be a mother, doctor and businesswoman. It is because of you that I, unlike many other female professionals, have been able to own my own business, be the only doctor on-site, work for 9 months during pregnancy and return to great big smiles and welcoming words from my patients, afterwards. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I don’t know what I would do without each and every one of you. I feel very blessed.
With warmest regards,
Dr. Sandra Reyes
A.k.a. “Doc”, “Wonder Woman”