Thank you all very much for your patience and understanding at this very difficult time. We are so pleased that we are back to practice, it has been a long three months and while it’s going to be very different from what we are used to for a while but please be assured your safety and dental health is of utmost important to us. The new policies and procedures will unfortunately put stress on our appointment book and can I please ask you to bear with us while we navigate new territories. Our new procedures provided to us by the Faculty of General Dental Practice are extensive and thorough and we apologize for the less homely dental environment than what you usually have. We hope these procedures are temporary and normal service will resume sooner rather than later.
Phase One Beginning 29th June 2020
During Phase one we will still not be able to provide treatment using a dental drill or Ultra -sonic Scalers this restricts us severely. We will spend our first week focusing on seeing all our members on our waiting list who have made us aware that they have broken teeth etc. We will be able to provide a strong temporary solution until drills are reinstated. All our patients wearing braces will also be offered braces in our first week of opening. Our practice members have to be our priority and at this stage we cannot offer appointments to Private Pay-as-you-go patients, or new patients. We will not be adding a surcharge forPPE for our members who pay monthly for their treatments or Orthodontic Patients. For Private pay-as-you go patients there will be a £10 fee for routine appointments. If you fall into this criteria you should have been contacted today.
Phase Two
At Phase two (Around the 1st July) we will begin to use our Drills- At this stage please excuse our appearance, we will be wearing much more protective kit than usual! We will be treating all patients who have outstanding treatment and urgent needs. We will NOT be adding a surcharge for PPE for our members. For Private pay-as-you go members there will be a £10 fee for routine appointments and £40 fee for PPE for Drill use. We cannot accept new patients at this time. Every time the drill is used we must vacate the surgery for up to one hour!! This will greatly reduce the amount of appointments we can provide in any given day!
Phase Three
The next phase which is when we will be dedicating our time to making sure that we can fulfil our commitments in regards to Dental Health Checks and Hygiene Maintenance appointments for our Members. We will NOT be adding a surcharge for PPE for our members. Because of the complications posed by using the Ultra-sonic Scalers Rachael will be using hand instruments, this takes longer than Ultra-sonic scalers. Appointments will be 10 Minutes longer than usual, and if you have missed a scheduled hygiene visit due to COVID you will be provided with a double length appointment.
Phase Four
At this stage we will start seeing children for routine care. Phase four will be a return to normal appointment scheduling when we will be able to see patients with different needs at different times and days. Most importantly when the Alert Level in the UK is reduced from 3 to 2, all of our restrictions will be lifted.
Before Your appointment
You will be called to confirm your appointment and sent a link to complete any necessary paperwork, this is to reduce the length of time you will be in the practice. Please complete this home if you have access to the technology- We will also screen you for COVID prior to your appointment.
Coming to your appointment
· Access to the practice will be restricted to patients with pre-booked
appointments please don’t call by unannounced as we are trying to social distance at reception.
You will have your temperature taken when you enter.
· Please attend the practice alone and minimise any personal
belongings brought into the practice with you. You will be asked to place your belongings in a box at reception. This box will be disinfected
· Attend close to your appointment time to reduce the length of time you may be in the waiting area.
· Child patients and vulnerable patients can be accompanied by one person with
parental or caring responsibility.
· In order to reduce the amount of people you encounter during your visit during busier times a one-way system within the practice might operate, don’t be offended if we ask you to leave by a back door.
· Please use the hand hygiene station as you enter and exit the practice
· Perspex screens have been placed at reception- this is to remove the need for our reception team to wear expensive and uncomfortable PPE all day. Please keep your distance!
· We have to minimise the time patients stay in reception, depending on how busy we are we many need to:
· Make your next appointments over the phone and not in person
· Please when possible pay Via Debit/Credit Card
· Paperwork when possible will be emailed to the practice or to the patient if possible.
· If paperwork is required, we will give you a pen to use, please take this pen home with you or bring your own pen if you prefer!
· Reception Area/card machines/ iPads etc will be disinfected regularly.
· For the time being we have had to remove all unnecessary fixtures e.g. magazines, toys, drinks dispensers. If you need a drink of water we will keep bottles at reception, please ask.
· When possible we will take patients directly to the surgery, with no stop in a waiting area. If you are asked to use a waiting area strict social distancing will be adhered to (you will not share a waiting room with other patients during this time)
· We have been advised that the use of toilets is to be restricted as far as possible and to advise patients to use the bathroom prior to attending the practice. Of course we will not turn anyone away from using the bathroom, please report to reception for access.
· Please wash your hands using the instructions displayed hand washing poster.
Please be assured we are working in the background to ensure your safety.
Naomi Bingham is the nominated a COVID-19 lead as part of their COVID-19
Business Continuity Plan. Her role is to:
· Review updated and newly published guidance
· Disseminate information to members of the dental team
· Consider the impact on existing practice policies and procedures
· Develop new practice policies and procedures if necessary
· Review and update the Business Continuity Plan as necessary including
plans for patients to access care in the event of the practice having to close
· Consider necessary staff training
All of our Staff have been trained in the following:
o The COVID-19 case definition
o COVID-19 guidance (e.g. social distancing of patients and staff)
o Management of a possible COVID positive patient
o Practice policies and procedures to facilitate social distancing
o Enhanced Cross-infection Control measures
o Environmental cleaning
o Clinical clothing
o Use of PPE
o Hand hygiene
o Management of medical emergencies
o Safeguarding
All team members will be screened daily for symptoms of COVID-19 and Procedures are in place to ensure staff inform the practice of any COVID-19 symptoms or if a member of their household develops symptoms
and to follow self-isolation advice.
We are thankful that we have for many years had a strict uniform policy and we do not need to make any further changes.
· Clinical clothing worn during the provision of dental treatment and
decontamination is not worn outside of the practice.
· Clinical clothing is short sleeved.
· Clinical clothing should be washed at the highest possible temperature, as soon as possible, on a daily basis.
We look forward to helping you all soon!
Derek, Naomi and the team at Moira Cosmetic Dental
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