COVID-19: IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PATIENTS

18 Jan 2021

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To our valued patients,

Firstly, thank you for your support and understanding during these difficult times. We hope you and your loved ones remain safe and well.

 

As you may already know, our practice has been opened since the 15th of June 2020.

 

Whilst many things may have changed over recent months, what hasn’t is our commitment to you to deliver the highest standards of patient care.  

 

Safety and infection control have always been of the highest priority in our practice and over the last few months we have been continually reviewing guidance, ensuring that we are providing a safe environment for our patients and team members. All of our treatment rooms are now equipped with their own powerful air extractors in order to ensure good ventilation and to achieve recommended air changes per hour. We have also increased our safety protocols as well as continued using enhanced PPE. All members of our team are also being tested several times a week for Covid19.

Your visit to the practice may still look and feel different. Our team members will be wearing enhanced PPE, we will of course be promoting social distancing and your journey through the practice may be different. Fear not though, we are still the same team we were prior to this pandemic. 

Although we are prioritising those in pain or in greater need, we are also seeing patients for their routine appointments. We are trying to contact as many patients whose appointments were cancelled because of the lockdown. However, as we are looking after a very large group of patients, we may not be able to contact every one of you. 

 

If you are in pain, or if you believe your appointment is due, or you haven’t heard from us regarding your cancelled appointment, please feel free to contact us on 01634 864153, by email at LavenderDentalCare@gmail.com or through the contact form on our website and a member of our team will be happy to help and, if appropriate, book an appointment for you. 

 

If you suspect you may have COVID-19 symptoms, please contact NHS 111 and let us know so we can reschedule your appointment. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, please do not attend the practice.

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Prior to your appointment, a member of our team will contact you by phone in order to carry out a pre-treatment assessment. Please note, all appointments are by prior arrangement only. To reduce and control the number of people entering the practice, we keep the practice door locked at all times. Due to COVID-19, our toilet facilities are also restricted. 

 

Once you arrive for your appointment, please phone us and let a member of our team know you have arrived. Please do not enter the practice and wait outside or in your car. When your dentist is ready to see you, the reception staff will contact you by phone to advise to come to the front door. At the front door, prior to entering the practice, you will be asked some simple questions relating to COVID-19 and you will have your temperature taken. Please wear a face mask before entering the building.

 

Finally, thank you again for your loyalty and patience – we truly are grateful for your support and look forward to seeing you back at the practice. 

If you have any questions please get in touch and for now stay safe and well!

Best wishes

 

Team at Lavender Dental Care

 

 

 

INFORMATION FOR THOSE COMING FOR THEIR APPOINTMENT

 

You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example:

 

• Our practice will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again at your appointment

• During this phone call we will also discuss what to expect when you arrive at the practice

• Please do not arrive early to the practice. When you arrive, please phone the practice to let us know. Please wait outside the practice or in your car until a member of our team contacts you by phone asking to come to the entrance.

• If you haven't heard from us within 20 minutes of your initial call letting us know you have arrived, please call us back. It may be the case that we are unable to reach you or your contact details have not been updated.

• A member of our staff will meet you at the entrance and guide you through various stages of your visit

• 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.

• We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time

• Toilet facilities will be strictly limited. There will be no facilities for brushing your teeth. 

 

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

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• With the exception of children and patients with carers, patients should come alone. We will not be able to offer an appointment for you if you come for your treatment accompanied by a child. Under-age children are not permitted to wait unsupervised in the waiting area and they can not be allowed to wait in the surgeries during your treatment. 

• A distance of at least 2 metres must be observed if another patient is present in the dental practice

• Payment should be made by card where possible

• Staff will not shake your hand

• If you show symptoms following appointment booking, please contact the practice by phone

• Please do not arrive without an appointment

• Please wear a mask if possible or be prepared to wear one.​