Polite notice to our patients
Our practice has been opened for a few months now, offering examinations and emergency appointments only.
We are happy to say that due to changes in government and health board guidelines, we can now offer a broader range of dental treatments, including aerosol generating procedures (AGPs).
There are a limited number of appointments available for this type of procedure and priority will be given to those patients with urgent dental problems and patients from vulnerable groups.
Please be assured that our practice has carried out a full risk assessment in line with health board guidelines, and we have an enhanced level of personal protective equipment (PPE) to provide this type of care.
Your COVID status
When you contact us to arrange an appointment, our reception staff will go through a variety of questions with you before offering you an appointment. We appreciate you may feel uneasy about this type of questioning, however, it is important for us to be aware of all patient’s current health status to avoid any possible spread of the virus. We are doing our utmost to keep you and our staff members safe.
Please be aware that if you have any symptoms of coronavirus or have been advised to self-isolate, your dentist will be unable to see you for an appointment.
If you have an urgent dental problem, your dentist will provide advice on managing your symptoms or may prescribe antibiotics to control any infections until your face to face appointment can be arranged.
It may also be possible for your dentist to refer you to one of the urgent dental care centres.
Attending your appointment
Our reception staff will confirm your appointment with you and will also advise you where our new waiting area is located. The new entrance is located to the side of the building, on Lawrence Street. There are arrows on the railings and clear signage guiding you to the new outdoor waiting area. There are also masks and hand sanitizer available in the waiting area.
Should I arrive early?
Please only arrive at the time of your allocated appointment. Please do not arrive early, as we are trying to make sure physical distance takes place. There is seating available. All you have to do is take a seat until a dental nurse collects you and guides you into the dental surgery.
After your appointment the dental nurse will guide you to the payment area, then exit point.
What if I’m running late for my appointment?
Please contact the reception staff to advise them that you’re running late. They will advise whether to attend your appointment, or they may have to reschedule your appointment, depending on the dentists’ diary.
I’m worried about how you’re managing physical distancing in the practice, can you explain to me how you’re managing this?
Firstly, our practice is designed in such a way that we have plenty of entry and exits points. You will use one door for entering the practice and another for exiting the practice. There will always someone available to guide you in and out of the practice and all staff will be wearing PPE including face coverings, at all times.
Our thoughts
We are many months into this pandemic, so we have no doubt that although challenging, we are confident that we can continue focusing on maintaining a COVID safe environment for patients and staff.
We appreciate that some patients may feel nervous about attending their appointment now. We would ask that for peace of mind it may be worth giving us a call to have a chat about any concerns you may have. Our aim now is to make sure any patients who have not attended their regular check-up since lockdown started are given priority now. A check-up allows your dentist to see if you have any dental problems and helps you keep your mouth healthy. Leaving problems untreated could make them more difficult to treat in the future, so it’s best to deal with problems early, or, if possible, prevent them altogether.
We hope all patients are taking care during these challenging times and we hope to see you very soon!
Friday joke …
Toothfairy fun
