Covid-19 Update

Monday 4th January 2021

Following the government guidance we will remain OPEN for all treatments. For more information about how we are keeping our patients and staff safe please read more updates below.

We have been back at it now since the 6th of June and much has changed. As well as the changes in our last update below (6th of June) we have found the diary a major challenge.

As the number of patients we can see per day has changed from 30 to 12 (ish) getting everyone booked in has been tough. However we are close to catching up with all of the appointments that were cancelled during lockdown. I think we are very close to completing the list of patients so if you have not been contacted yet, you will be very soon.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each one of our patients for being patient and giving us time to get right! - thank you.

All of the restrictions we announced on June the 6th are still in place and everyone including our staff and patients have adapted really well. I appreciate its been quite a change (having a locked door, wearing so much PPE that we can’t have a normal conversation with you!) but hopefully one day we can return to some sort of normality.

Despite increasing costs (PPE and 50% less patients per day) we have still managed to hold our costs with NO increase in price. yet across the board most dental practices have increased prices.

Thats it for now. Keep brushing, Stay safe - and hopefully we will see you soon.

6th June 2020

After a period of offering remote consultations, we have now reopened for emergency treatments and limited procedures. We are slowly getting back to normal. Although there will be a number of changes, some are mentioned below;

  • A Perspex screen on our reception desk

  • A second waiting room opened upstairs

  • All patients are called and pre screened before attending the surgery

  • Longer appointment times - to respect social distancing

  • The toilet is no longer in use for patients

  • Limited treatments - in line with guidelines from FGDP

  • Staff have additional PPE

  • A closed door policy - only 1 patient in the practice at one time (minors can attend with a parent)

We ask our patients to follow the guidelines below;

  • Please ensure you wash your hands before attending and ideally sanitise before entering the practice - we also have hand sanitiser stations in the practice for patient use

  • Please do not attend if you are feeling unwell or anyone in your immediate family has covid symptoms (please call to let us know if you are not attending)

  • Please use your own toilet at home - as ours is out of use

  • If you do own a face mask, feel free to wear this

  • Please respect the 2 meter social distancing within the practice

  • Please use card payments only - no cash

An update on your appointments.

We are working hard to see as many patients as we can. Unfortunately we have two challenges to meet. Naturally we have had to cancel routine treatments since mid March due to guidance from the government. The first challenge is dealing with all of the patients who have encountered pain during the lockdown. The second is that we cannot see as many patients, per day, as we used to.

A few helpful tips which may help;

  • We are currently working through pain appointments as a matter of urgency

  • If you had an appointment cancelled due to lockdown - we do have you on our list to see asap

  • If you had an appointment booked in from the 8th of June - we are trying to honour these - but we may need to contact you to change the time - due to the time restrictions placed upon us. (we used to see 3 patients per hour - currently we can only see 1 patient per hour)

An update for all of our monthly plan patients.

Firstly we would like to thank you for your loyalty to us during this tough time. We recognise that loyalty and have been offering additional services as well as some additional future benefits - as a thank you. Which are as follows;

  • The monthly costs for your plan was not increased last year and nor will be this year. Which means the last price increase was in 2018

  • All of our plan patients will receive priority over all other patient types when organising our diary

  • For now we are still offering 24 hrs 7 days a week emergency care

  • Patients who are self isolating - will still be eligible for remote dental care including free temporary filling kits and remote antibiotics

All of our plan patients during covid have received the following additional benefits;

  • Extended out of hours cover - 24 hrs a day 7 days a week

  • Video and phone consults with our lead dentist Sarah

  • Free antibiotics

  • Free temporary filling kits

  • Free oral health products

  • Priority emergency clinics

  • Free dental advice

Finally we would like to wish you all good health and look forward to seeing you soon. If you have any questions about this update, or anything else - please feel free to call the surgery on 01282 817172.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Stay safe.