An Update On Re-opening Of Our Burton Dental Practice

A brief look at some of the changes that patients might notice when we open our practice again

Many of you will have seen that dental practices in the UK are able to open their doors again from 8th June. This will not be a case of things returning to the previous ‘normal’ though, and patients of Mike Allen’s Dental Practice are likely to notice a number of changes. We can’t say how long these changes will be in place as much will depend on the status of the Covid-19 virus and perhaps even on the arrival of an effective vaccine for it.

More details will emerge as we evaluate the guidance that has been provided and we work out how we can best serve our patients again in a safe manner. The following though are some of the things that our returning patients might notice as we get business moving again.

Re-opening

Although we can open from the 8th June, this does not mean that we will necessarily do so. We will do our best to open as quickly as possible, but, before we do so, it is essential that we ensure that the practice and systems are in place to protect both our patients and our team as much as we possibly can. Once we have a date to re-open, we will let you know as soon as we can. Please also keep an eye on our website for updates on this.

PPE

PPE (personal protective equipment ) has been in the news a lot over the past few months and, sadly, often for the wrong reasons. As you can imagine, there has been huge demand for this and we are doing our best to source sufficient PPE for our staff.  Until we are happy that sufficient equipment is in place, we will remain closed other than for telephone advice.

Training and systems

Many things that have previously been routine in our practice will need to change. Not only the way that treatments are carried out but the process of attending the clinic. We are working on systems and training to ensure that as few people as possible are in our waiting room at any given time and that any communication with staff members, including our reception team, is done as safely as possible. You will also notice a number of hand sanitiser stations; please use these.

Appointments

When we re-open, you must have an appointment before you attend the practice. Because more time will need to be allocated to each patient because of precautionary measures, it is almost certain that we will be able to see fewer patients each day. Where possible, we will treat those who have been suffering with significant dental problems whilst we have been closed, before moving on to more routine appointments.

Treatments

It is likely that the range of treatments that we will be able to provide, at least initially,  will be limited. We are still processing this information and will advise as soon as we can. Some dental procedures use methods that produce a large number of fine water droplets known as aerosols. This is potentially a risk factor and so these types of operations may be affected by the guidance and measures we put in place.

At Mike Allen’s Dental Practice, we believe that all patients deserve good oral health care and this includes any necessary treatments. We are doing all that we can to find ways to ensure that you can receive these treatments safely.

Behind the masks – it’s still us!

One obvious change that you will see is that our dentists and nurses will be more heavily protected than before. Although we always use disposable masks and gloves, you are likely to find us protected by masks and visors that make us less visible and also make conversation more difficult. Whilst we will still ask you questions about any problems you have, you may find that there is less ‘chit chat’. Please don’t take this as us being unfriendly. These masks make casual conversation more difficult and our priority has to be patient care. Please remember that, underneath the masks, it is the same friendly team that you have always known. Hopefully, one day soon, our casual conversations will be able to return to normal!

We hope that you found this blog useful and that it gives you some idea of what to expect. We hope to see you all again soon, and until then, we are still available to call on our usual Burton practice number of 01283 845345 from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.  Although we are currently unable to provide treatment, we can offer advice on how to manage dental problems until you can be seen. In urgent cases, we may refer you to an urgent dental care centre, although this only applies to more serious cases.