An update on NHS dental services at our practice
As you will know, the Prime Minister has confirmed that public restrictions have significantly eased on 19th July.
Under the Government's guidance "Health and care settings will continue to maintain appropriate infection prevention and control processes as necessary and this will be continually reviewed. Guidance will be updated based on the latest clinical evidence this summer.
In line with the Government's guidance, England's Chief Dental Officer Sara Hurley has informed us that the infection prevention control measures in dentistry should continue to be followed until further notice. These are important measures from Public Health England aimed at limiting the spread of the virus in dental settings. We're also continuing to follow NHS dentistry's standard operating procedure which helps us make this guidance work.
This means three things for patients:
1. If you need to come into the surgery for an appointment, please remember that social distancing remains in place in the dental practice and to wear a face covering upon entering the building.
2. We will continue to have restrictions on leaving time between patients to ventilate rooms if we perform an aerosol generating procedure. An aerosol generating
procedure (AGP) is a medical procedure that can result in the release of airborne particles (aerosols) from the respiratory tract when treating someone who is suspected or known to be suffering from an infectious agent transmitted wholly or partly by the airborne or droplet route. In dentistry, for example, this means the use of something like a high speed drill. This impacts how many patients we can fit into a working day.
3. We are also following the Chief Dental Officer's advice that we should prioritise patients for treatment based on urgency and priority groups, such as those more at risk of dental disease or children.
Similar public health measures are still in place for hospitals and GP practices, too.
Every dental practice is working extremely hard to provide care to our patients within the restrictions and guidance to ensure it's safe to visit the dentist.
We hope that this helps clarify why these measures are in place for every NHS dental practice.
Please do give us a call if you think you need to see us, we're open for patients.
Emergency appointments will only be arranged by telephone in advance.
If you have a dental emergency or need advice then please contact our telephone triage service by calling the practice on 0117 9637670 or sending us an email at bedminster@omegadental.co.uk . Should you have any administrative queries email us at bedminster@omegadental.co.uk.
• Our practice will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You'll be asked those same questions again at your appointment
• We have hand sanitiser that we will ask you to use when you enter the practice. You will also find some in the reception area and other places in the practice for you to use as needed.
• We no longer offer magazines, children's toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect
• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you're offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.
How you can help:
The patient should use the toilet before attending the practice
The patient should bring their own mask
The patient should only bring minimal belongings into the practice with them
The patient should attend alone wherever possible or with one other person if absolutely necessary
Patients will be screened using the standard COVID-19 screening questions and if covid positive will be referred to an appropriate centre (if it is an emergency) or advised to self-isolate
The patient must use the hand sanitiser and put on a disposable mask when entering the building from the PPE station inside the front door
Patient to comply with the social distancing markers at reception.
Any patient belongings should be placed in a designated area which will be disinfected after use - Plastic containers
Once entering the surgery, the patient is asked to retain their face mask (if provided) until the end of the appointment
At the end of treatment, the patient should leave the room immediately, dispose of PPE in a clinical waste bin and perform hand santisation using alcohol gel placed outside the door
The patient collects their belongings from the designated area, and is escorted to the practice exit
We can assure you that we will continue to maintain high standards of cross infection control.
Stay safe and please contact us if you have any questions.
Omega Dental Team
