Appointment Instructions

PLEASE READ BEFORE ATTENDING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT

1. If you are pregnant or have an underlying medical condition please inform us before you attend.
2. Are you feeling unwell, or do you have a fever? If yes, please do not attend the practice -call us to make alternative arrangements.
3. Have you been in close contact with a confirmed or possible Covid 19 case in the last 14 days? Have you traveled? If yes, please do not attend- call us to make alternative arrangements.
4. Please wash your hands with soap thoroughly at home before attending. Also please visit the toilet and brush your teeth at home. Toilet facilities will be available if needed.
5. Please attend with as few belongings as possible. Keep keys, phone, wallets etc. on your person.
6. Avoid bringing coats or jackets where possible. If you do, we will guide you on where to remove them.
7. Please attend unaccompanied. One person may accompany an adult patient who requires help or a patient aged 16yrs or under. If the intended accompanying person has a cough, fever or any Covid 19 symptoms, please make alternative arrangements.
8. Please wait in your car, phone us when you arrive to check in (you may have to leave a voicemail if we are with a patient). We will call you when we are ready for you. We will make every attempt to be punctual with appointments. However, at times there may be delays. Please remain in your car, until you are called. PLEASE NOTE Reception is not manned when we are with a patient.
9. Please attend wearing a mask. If you are wearing gloves you will be asked to remove them.
10. On arrival your temperature will be recorded and you will be directed to use the hand sanitiser provided.
11. If possible, bring your own glasses or sunglasses instead of using our protective eyewear.
12. Payments to be made by card only.
13. In the past, it has always been a pleasure to chat with you in reception and in the surgery. However, to minimise contact time, it is preferable to not delay in the surgery or at reception chatting, in order for us to maintain social distancing. If possible write down your questions and email them a few days before your appointment, we will answer as many as possible on the day and can email or phone you as required after your appointment.
14. We are working hard to protect staff and patients which will mean increased appointment times and fewer appointments available. We ask you to be patient with these necessary changes.
15. Unfortunately our treatment fees will have increased somewhat due to increased operating costs, but this will be kept under review.

It is difficult to maintain social distancing in the dental surgery due to the nature of the work involved. Certain procedures will create aerosols, which increases the dispersion of the virus in the air. It is critical that you do not attend, if you have any doubts regarding your exposure to the Cover virus in the last 14 days or if you are feeling unwell.

Dentistry has always been provided with a high standard of cross-infection control. We have implemented precautions to reduce the amount of aerosol in the air by installing air filters and extractors for the clinic and we are taking added measures in infection control. Every precaution will be taken to ensure the safe delivery of your dental treatment.

Some of the procedures we have put in place:

1. Screening of staff on a daily basis – questionnaire and temperature
2. Screening of patients pre-appointment on phone and also on arrival
3. Appointment only service, queries via telephone not walk in
4. No waiting room
5. Longer appointment times to allow for enhanced cleaning
6. Patient toilet for urgent use only
7. Staff and patient toilets to be cleaned at regular intervals
8. Communal areas including door handles cleaned at regular intervals
9. Perspex screen at reception
10. Air purifiers
11. Enhanced PPE ( personal protective equipment)
12. Contactless payments via phone or bank transfer

Revised: September 2020