Under the new safer-at-home order, dentists offices are now able to reopen, but if you're visiting your dentist soon, the process is going to look a little different.
Businesses deemed non-essential have taken a hit during the pandemic, including dental offices.
Dr. Josh Drake, DMD with Drake and Wallace Dentistry said, "If you'd have told me I'd be on unemployment and not working for an extended period of time ever in my career. I wouldn't have believed it."
Dr. Chase Tyson, DMD with Tyson Dental, said, "Dentistry was considered nonessential during this thing which we didn't really classify that as being fair to us but more importantly fair to our patients who need to be seen."
As dental offices start to reopen their doors, new rules are being put in place. Patients now have to wait in their cars and get their temperatures taken before even walking into the building.
"We are trying to bring one patient in at a time. Once they are in the operatory or the treatment room or the hygiene room, they are rinsing their mouth with a hydrogen peroxide solution before they are in the chair," said Tyson.
Drake and Wallace Dentistry in Decatur is waiting until Monday to reopen. They say getting enough PPE for their office is going to take time.
"During the shutdown time, we were told don't go get it, the front line workers need it, and that was understandable, so you kind of sat and waited until you got the go ahead," said Drake.
Dental offices say they're busy right now and that a trip to the dentist may take a little longer than normal.
"It's been crazy, and we have about a two month back log from patients trying to get in," said Tyson.
"Because of all the change of PPE that we're going to have to do in between patients, our schedules going to be a lot different than it was pre-COVID," said Drake. "We are going to utilize the fact that there are two doctors here and divide our responsibilities at least short term, so that there's not as much costume changing."
WATCH: