Covid-19 Update

Important New COVID-19 Update - August 2022

Thankfully the COVID restrictions are easing and life appears to be returning to something a bit more like normal. However, dental practices are still working under restrictions and as a result, everything we do takes a lot longer.

It is still necessary to leave a longer time between appointments for the surgeries to be cleaned and to maintain social distancing. We have installed additional ventilation in all of our surgeries that now enables us to carry out ultrasonic scaling and treatment with the minimum of downtime between patients.

We still have a significant back-log of patients who are due examinations but we are working through this. If a patient calls seeking an examination appointment and we have no times available, we will take a note of their name and number and will call them and arrange an appointment as soon as we have an examination appointment available.

We will prioritise patients who have been regularly attending our dental practice and those who have not had an examination recently. We have time set aside every day for patients who have an emergency and we are doing our best to work through the back-log so please be patient.

Our reception staff are doing their best to deal with the situation yet we are getting a few patients who are becoming abusive when we cannot offer appointments for routine examinations.
Please be assured that we are doing our best to see patients and being unpleasant does not help. Under NHS regulations, we are allowed to deregister patients who are abusive to our staff.

Dentistry wise life is still not quite back to normality so for the time being we greatly appreciate your patience.

Your new patient journey

Please be aware that we are still the same friendly team but your journey through the practice will still be slightly different to what you have been used to.

This is in order to make things as safe as possible for everyone::

Only patients with an appointment will be admitted to the practice so please attend alone. Of course, a parent or carer can accompany a child/patient.
It is still a requirement to wear a mask in health care premises so please bring a mask and put it on before entering.
The practice door will still be locked. Upon arrival, either knock on the door or ring our reception and a member of staff will admit you.
They will ask you questions regarding your COVID status and ask you to use the available hand gel. Tissues will be provided if you need to cough or sneeze and please follow the advice of CATCH IT, BIN IT, KILL IT.
A member of staff will then take you into the surgery. Dentists and nurses will already be wearing full PPE.
We are now able to use our ultrasonic scalers and high-speed drills routinely.
On leaving the surgery, alcohol gel will be available at our reception for you to use. If you need to make a further appointment, please do this with our receptionist by standing behind the acrylic screen.
If payment is required, this can be done via our credit card machine - by contactless for under £100 or by using the keypad. This will be sanitised after each use.
A member of staff will then escort you out of the practice.

YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING IS REALLY APPRECIATED