Covid-19
Post Covid-19 reopening policy - Updated Jan 2021
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Returning to Providing Dental Services
Please wear a face covering or mask to your appointments
*****Please Note****
Car Park is closed
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We have created this policy using multiple updated sources within the dental and medical professions and the government.
This outlines modifications to our normal procedures that we intent to use once the practice can be reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic peak has subsided.
Presently, it is unknown whether these procedures are temporary or whether they will become permanent in the practice to ensure the safety of staff and patients. It is likely, in future, that these modifications will change in order to adhere to new guidelines and scientific evidence which are updated regularly. In these cases, we will update our actions and practice as soon as possible.
We would like to thank our patients for their understanding during the temporary closure of the practice and their cooperation whilst we implement new measures at the practice.
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Provisional timetable
It is our intention for the practice to re-open for patients on Monday 8th June 2020 unless an extension to the current lockdown is mandated by the government or professional bodies.
Maple Dental Clinic will prepare the practice for reopening and practising our updated procedures before patients return to the practice. We will be prioritising in ‘Phases’ in this order:
Phase 1 - Patients with emergency problems or other dental problems that require urgent assessment and treatment; HYGIENE APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE
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Phase 2 - Patients with treatment that was incomplete before the practice was temporarily closed; Routine appointments are available; HYGIENE APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE
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In time we will move to:
Phase 3 - Patients who were due for routine examinations visits during the period of closure;
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Covid-19 Reopening Policy – updated JAN 2021
Patient communication before reopening
The Maple Dental Team will be contacting patients and confirming appointments ahead of their scheduled time.
We will request that all patients who are attending the clinic to know their updated Medical and Dental details beforehand.
Questions during triage will allow us to assess your level of risk for coronavirus infection before you attend the surgery.
New measures at Maple Dental Clinic to reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission
Our normal cross-infection control protocols, against all previously known pathogens are already central to all clinical activity carried out at the clinic. It should be remembered that Maple Dental Clinic is already a very clean environment and there is no evidence of COVID-19 transmission occurring in increased rates in dentists or their staff. Staff will constantly be monitored for signs of Covid-19
We have carefully evaluated the updated guidance and observed which measures have been put in place in other countries. We feel that the following measures will reduce risk to the minimum level at the practice. Please be assured that all our clinical staff will also be complying with these procedures to reduce the risk of cross infection in both directions.
BEFORE ATTENDING THE PRACTICE
We will carry out a pre-attendance assessment at least three days before your appointment and, if
necessary, a follow-up telephone conversation to assess relative coronavirus infection risk. Our staff will speak to you to remind you of and confirm your appointment. If we feel that you are at risk of having possibly been infected, even if you are asymptomatic, we will respectfully request for you to delay booking any appointments with us for at least one month.
Covid-19 Reopening Policy – updated JAN 2021
In view of the potential seriousness of this disease, please note that we respectfully insist that the Medical and Dental Questionnaire (MDQ) is completed during your appointment. If we are unable to contact you, we may need to cancel your appointment. You may be charged for the appointment if we are unable to fill it at short notice as per our normal terms and conditions. Appointment times MAY be extended and will range from 60-90minutes per patient.
We would recommend that patients in the high-risk groups for developing complications from coronavirus delay non-essential dental treatment for as long as possible until the trend of the pandemic becomes clear.
To find out whether you are in a high or very high-risk group please go to GOV.UK website. If you are in a high-risk group and do require treatment, we will schedule your appointment at the beginning of the day to limit your potential exposure to other patients and aerosols.
Maple Dental Clinic will be operating contactless payment systems going forwards, and we would request that payment is made over the phone for your appointment prior to you attending. This reduces the requirement for unnecessary contact or use of pin entries on card terminals at reception.
*****PLEASE NOTE****
CARPARK IS CLOSED
When travelling to the practice, we would recommend that you limit close contact with other members of the public as far as possible. We will meet every patient outside the BACK OF building and bring them straight into the surgery. One adult is only allowed to attend with a child; please do not bring additional family members with you unless they are happy to wait in the car or outside the building.
PLEASE NOTE OUR CAR PARK IS NOW CLOSED
Covid-19 Reopening Policy – updated JAN 2021
ON ARRIVAL AT MAPLE DENTAL CLINIC
PLEASE WEAR A FACE COVERING OR MASK WHEN ATTENDING THE CLINIC. IF YOU HAVE NO COVERING WE MAY REFUSE YOUR ENTRY INTO THE CLINIC AND NEED TO RE-SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT.
We intend to eliminate waiting inside the practice and at reception. Therefore, appointments will be staggered so that patients do not arrive or leave at the same time as other patients where possible.
Please be advised there are NO BATHROOM OR TOILET FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR PATIENTS DUE TO COVID19
When you attend the clinic, the front door will remain locked.
We will take your temperature with a no-touch thermometer. If your temperature is 37.8°C or above, you will be unable to enter the practice and will be asked to return home and self-isolate as per current government guidelines.
If you are well, we would direct you straight to the surgery and request that you do the following before or during your appointment:
Place your belongings in a box outside the surgery – please only bring minimal items to your appointment.
Use the hand sanitiser in the reception/surgery area or thoroughly wash your hands for 30 seconds with the antiseptic hand wash provided in the clinic.
We will ask you to use a Hydrogen Peroxide mouthwash before dental treatments are provided.
Rubber dam or other barrier mechanisms will be used for more procedures than previously.
Maple Dental Clinic has spent time critically looking at every aspect of the practice with a view to removing all non-essential items that can potentially be the cause of infection. You will find that the practice may appear to be quite bare when you attend.
All clinical and common areas including door handles and surfaces will be regularly disinfected in addition to our normal surface cleaning protocols between patients.
Maple Dental Clinic will be providing a buffer period between patients to allow additional time for additional decontamination procedures
Covid-19 Reopening Policy – updated JAN 2021 including time for potential treatment overruns and preparation time for the next patient so that they do not need to wait in the reception area.
All future appointments will be made in surgery and confirmed by email or telephone to limit your time spent at reception.
Dental procedures
All dental staff will be using personal protective equipment in line with current recommendations and evidence. We apologise in advance for the necessary reduction in social interaction that this will necessitate. Whilst our masks may make us appear impersonal and distant, please be assured we are still the same friendly team underneath it all!
We are especially mindful that many dental treatments are aerosol-generating procedures (AGP’s). It is difficult for us to carry out some dental procedures without generation of some level of aerosol. Aerosol suspended in the air is a theoretical source of infection which we obviously wish to keep to a minimum.
Currently the dental literature suggests:
Our use of our normal high-volume suction reduces aerosol production by over 90%.
The use of dental rubber dam where possible reduces bio aerosols by a further 30 to 90%
Our regular facemasks filter approximately 60% of remaining airborne particles.
FFP2 and FFP3 masks filter 94% and 99% respectively of airborne particles in both directions (patient to clinician and clinician to patient).
We therefore feel that our normal dental procedures can be carried out in future with minimal risk using high-volume suction, rubber dam and FFP2 masks and, in high aerosol generating procedures FFP3 masks as appropriate.
Covid-19 Reopening Policy – updated JAN 2021
The appointment times and treatments will need to be extended by approximately 30 minutes to allow for safe working and cleaning of the surgeries and instruments.
This policy is live and will be constantly updated.
If you have any questions regarding this policy or about your dental care at Maple Dental Clinic, please do not hesitate to contact us on mdcluton@gmail.com.
