Emergencies only at Main Street Dental

Only emergency cases are being accepted by the five offices of Main Street Dental in southern Minnesota, including Blooming Prairie and Owatonna.
Other Main Street dental offices are located in Mankato, Rochester and New Richland.
All Main Street offices are keeping small staffs on duty. Other staff members have been asked to "shelter in place." When restrictions are lifted, dental office employees will be called back.
Dr. Chad Hanson, Blooming Prairie, said he has been taking emergency patients only from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. four days a week. Finishing his day on Friday, Hanson said his appointment schedule for emergencies was already full for the following Monday.
Hanson said not too many patients came in for emergency care in the early time following Gov. Tim Walz's issuing an executive order stating that all non-essential or elective surgeries and procedures, including non-emergent or elective dental care, that utilize PPE or ventilators must be postponed indefinitely.
Hopeful that restrictions will be lifted by May 1, Dr. Hanson said patients have been very understanding and are appreciative that emergency care is available.
Hanson urged patients who have emergency needs not to go to the hospital emergency department. "We don't want them exposing others and themselves," he said.
"We are trying to do our part by having limited hours and not putting people in jeopardy," said Hanson. Gov. Walz is hinting that he will extend the stay at home order, presumably until the end of the month. The current order expires Friday, April 10. This action has been slowing the progress of the virus, Walz has said.
"It's quite surreal," said Hanson, saying that he has never seen anything like this pandemic.
Hanson said he has been watching what other states are doing. "Every state is different," he remarked.
Hanson and his wife have three children, ages 14, 12 and 9. He said this pandemic "makes you think about what is important and what is not."
Children have worries too, but at a different level than their parents, Hanson said. He said it is healthy that they can keep in contact with their friends by video chats and other means.
He continued, "We should be thankful for what we have, stop and pause about what things are good."
Hanson said personally and professionally, he can only wait for further direction. "There's so much coming out daily that it makes your head spin," he said.