01/07/2020

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Dear Patients,

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After a few months of not being able to see patients face to face due to Covid-19 restrictions we are glad to announce that our practice will be re-opened to see patients on a phased return to work arrangement.

Due to the virus still being around we need to take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our patients and staff and follow government guidelines. We have modified our practice and our standard operative procedures to accommodate current situation.

With safety being paramount for us all, we are installing mechanical extractors in each surgery and we will be seeing reduced number of patients due to extra cross infection control measures to ensure the highest standards for the safety of our patients.

The following are highlights of what we have put in place that we believe you should be aware of:

Avoid exposing our patients to risks of Covid-19 infection by:

• Taking comprehensive history of your complaint to assess if a face to face consultation is required. If this is not required, we will still give you advise, analgesic or antibiotics remotely where necessary

• Carrying out risk assessment over the telephone to identify patients who have been exposed to corona virus infection and all that are on the shielded patient’s list or are clinically vulnerable

• Staff will be monitored on a daily basis for Covid-19 symptoms, including temperature check and a verbal medical assessment will be taken

• Checking patient’s body temperature on arrival

• Closing our toilet facilities as we respectfully ask that you use the toilet before coming into the practice

• Maintaining the social distancing as practically as possible

Reducing time spent and contact with other patients in the reception by:

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• Reducing the number of patients in the practice at any one time. This means patient will have to wait outside/in the car awaiting our call/sms. Only one person will be allowed in the practice (the patient) except where patients cannot consent to treatment by themselves or there is a special need

• We will only be seeing patients that have appointments booked, no walk-in enquiries or appointments. All enquiries will be dealt with by the way of telephone or e-mail

• Staggering appointments

• We will ask patients to complete their medical history and consent forms prior to arrival at the practice

• We will endeavour to complete treatment needed on the day to avoid repeat visits to the practice, however this is not always possible. If patients need to return for treatment, we will ask them to sign treatment plan consent remotely and send it back to us prior to their next appointment. Failure to send back a signed treatment plan will mean the treatment will not be done on the day.

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Changing our cross-infection control process as follows:

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• We will be asking patients to wear face masks before coming into the practice and to keep it on until the dental staff ask them to take it off just before the procedure starts. If you are not able to get a face mask, we will provide one for you at the entrance.

• Patients are to use hand disinfectant immediately they step into the practice

• Patient coats and bags to be kept in the box provided just outside the surgery but within the practice. Where possible, we will advise that you leave all unnecessary belongings in the car.

• Wearing of FFP2 or FFP3 face masks during aerosol generating procedures (AGP) by both dentist and nurse

• Wearing full surgical gowns /overalls during AGP by both dentist and dental nurse

• All the above to be done in addition to what we already do routinely such as wearing face shields/visors, safety goggles or loupes, gloves, and bibs for patients

• We will be asking patients to use mouthwash to rinse prior to dentist examining their mouth. This mouthwash has shown evidence of viricidal activity

• The surgeries are being cleaned and disinfected after each patient as we have always done so, each surgery is left with the extractor fan switched on for 1 hour after the appointment. In addition, the box holding patient’s belongings gets wiped down

• Wiping down door handles and reception desk and surfaces regularly 

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With our best wishes

The Team at Old Town Dental Practice