A dentist appointment can often bring fear and anxiety, especially coupled with the health concerns surrounding COVID-19, but a Guthrie Center-based practice has recruited a certain hairy helper to bring joy to patients.

Springbrook Family Dentistry has been easing back into serving patients after Iowa dental offices were allowed to resume cleaning and repairing teeth on May 8th, with added precautions to protect against the spread of COVID-19, and their new office dog Ollie. A six-month-old hypoallergenic Goldendoodle, Dr. Dan Nelson says Ollie is calm natured in that he doesn’t bark or jump, and Nelson says there can be mental and physical benefits to having a dog around, “Dogs are great, there’s a lot of studies to show that they help reduce anxiety. Even a 2009 study from Loyola (University) Chicago found that people recovering from a total joint replacement required 50% less medication, which is pretty significant.”

Nelson and his staff ask all their patients whether they prefer to not have Ollie around during appointments, but Nelson says his newest employee has been overall enjoyed so far, “He’s a big fur ball so people like to pet him. He likes to play with the kiddos and adults too for that matter.”

Ollie is currently working to become a certified therapy dog. While some patients are waiting to schedule an appointment out of concern for COVID-19, Nelson says they are using extra protective equipment when performing cleanings and repairs. They’re also spacing out appointment times in order to limit the number of people in their office, and they’ve purchased several air filters to keep their office as clean as possible.