HOW DENTISTS WILL OPERATE
PRACTICES ARE STARTING TO OPEN THEIR DOORS
AS lockdown begins to lift across the UK, it will not be a case of just getting back to normal, as social distancing measures will have to remain in place.
That is not easy for many businesses, not least dental practices.
Laura Peel, of Granville Dental Practice in Granville Road, Leicester, said stringent rules would be put in place.
She said: “To start with, we are going to be seeing emergency patients only.
“We will triage them on the phone and use video calls to find out exactly what their problems are before they come in.”
Following an initial consultation over the phone or on video call, any relevant paperwork will then be sent to patients via e-mail.
When they get an appointment, patients will be asked to make sure that, in advance of them arriving, they have been to the toilet, brushed their teeth and they are hydrated, to ensure there is no cross-contamination.
Laura, a former dental nurse, said: “When patients arrive, they will have to call to tell us.
“Once the practice is ready, we will call to tell them and they will be met at the door of the practice.
“They will then have their temperature taken and they will be provided with a mask and asked to sanitise their hands.”
No more than one patient will be allowed into the practice at any one time and staff will be working different shifts to reduce crossover.
One of the biggest issues for practices is the use of aerosols, which are used during dental procedures.
Laura said: “We have even stricter sanitising procedures for staff now, and if they are using aerosols they will have to wear even more PPE.
“This is because using drills and other equipment causes a spray in the air, which is how Covid-19 is spread.”
Laura said that following extensive research, liaising with practices around the world, the practice would be using air purifiers.
She said: “When we use an aerosol, we have to leave the practice alone for an hour for safety, but with an air purifier, we only have to leave it for 15 minutes.”
Patients who bring loose items will also be asked to place them in a designated box for the duration of the procedure.
Patients will also be asked to pay in advance so they can leave as soon as their procedure is over.
Laura said: “We still are caring and kind and we want patients to feel safe, so there is a lot more to think about now.”
Dentist Aakash Patel said once patients enter their appointment room, they will remove their mask, which the practice will dispose of carefully.
Aakash said: “There will be a lot more PPE, but for the most part there will no changes as such to the treatment itself.
“Patients should be aware, though, some dentists might use a rubber dam, which is a form of isolation.
“Patients may not have had one before for treatment, and it is just something they should be aware of.
“I expect them to be used a lot more in the future.”
He also said that the practice would be putting any extra necessary measures in place for those who need treatment, but who are most at risk from coronavirus and are shielding.
The practice was aiming to be open for emergency patients yesterday.
Aakash said: “We will prioritise patients who are in pain and reopening will be phased.”