Shenas dental team is very grateful to all its patients for the understanding they showed during the COVID–19 pandemic when we had to close and could only provide consultations over the phone.

Patient safety and Infection control have always been our top priority. We have been working hard to make sure that on your return you are provided dental care in the safest way possible. From Monday 8^th June 2020 we will be implementing some changes to our policies and procedures ensuring patient safety.

This policy outlines those changes that we will be employing from the 8^th June 2020 when our practice will re-open after government advice on the current state of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is still being evaluated and policies are likely to change with new scientific evidence coming forth. We thank all of our patients for their understanding during the past few months and for their cooperation whilst we implement new measures to our practice to ensure their safety. We will be working under clear guidance from the dental governing bodies, following research and evidence based practices as far as possible and in order to safely provide you with the dental care that you need.

From Monday 8^th June 2020 we will provide URGENT dental treatment. We will inform you when we are able to see,

• Patients with incomplete treatments prior to lockdown.
• Patients who were due for routine examinations and hygienist visits during the closure.
• Patients who are due consultations and need other treatments.

The practice once opened will continue to offer general dental appointments such as Routine Check-ups and Consultations following updates from Government guidelines alongside Public Health England.

Many of the procedures and protocols that were routinely part of safe delivery of dental care are already well developed and practiced at Shenas dental Clinic. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic we have upgraded many of these routines to ensure that we are offering you the latest in safe dental environments.

Dental clinics are already a very clean and sterile environment as compared to public areas. There is no evidence of increased COVID-19 transmission in dentists or their staff. We have carefully evaluated and followed the Guidance set by the governing bodies and we are confident that measures outlined in the policy will reduce the risk to minimum level at the practice. The risk of virus particle contamination is managed carefully in all areas of the building and clinical rooms.

Please look at the following Shenas dental Clinic’s guidance that will help us look after you during your visit

 BEFORE ATTENDING THE PRACTICE

• We will require completed Medical History at the time of your appointment, The Medical History form will be email to you prior to your appointment.
• A dentist may also carry out a telephone consultation with you to assess your dental problem prior to your visit so that a treatment plan and cost estimate can be sent to you.
• A Covid-19 pre-screening form will be sent to you prior to your appointment. If we feel that you are at risk of possibly been infected, we will respectfully request for you to delay booking your appointment with us.
• Patients from high-risk group will be asked to delay all non-essential dental treatment until the trend of pandemic is clearer.
• Only patients with booked appointments will be allowed in the surgery.
• Appointments will be booked over the phone only and no patient without an appointment will be allowed in the surgery
• Please remember to email any paperwork if you have been asked to (medical history questionnaire, consent forms, treatment plans, etc) already fully completed
• All payments will be done using contactless payments or taken via telephone prior to the appointment.

ARRIVING AT THE PRACTICE

• The front door will remain locked
• You will very kindly be asked to wait outside the practice when you arrive for your appointment and call our receptionist.
• Receptionist will inform you as soon as the dentist is ready to see you. This is to reduce any risk of transmission and have one patient at a time in the clinic.
• Please do not bring anyone with you into the building unless this person is accompanying a vulnerable adult, a disabled person or a child. Please plan to keep siblings and other family and friends out of the building.
• Restroom will be closed for patients to avoid risk or transmission
• Please try to arrive cool and calm, please do not run or race your bike to your appointment as your body temperature will be raised and you might appear feverish. If your temperature is above 37.8 we will ask you to kindly return home and self-isolate as per the current government guidance.
• Our team will be wearing various levels of PPE and our receptionist will help you and will now be wearing a mask and behind a screen to protect her working environment;
• We request you to wear a face mask when you are invited into the building and use the hand sanitizer provided
• Please try to bring very limited personal belongings and you will be requested to place your personal belongings and coats in a box in order to minimise the contamination of your clothing and other belongings with aerosols;
• When you will be invited into the treatment rooms thoroughly disinfected and sterilised (in addition to conventional protocols) we will ask you to remove your face mask and keep it in a plastic bag.

PRACTICE PROCEDURES

At the practice we have removed all non-essential items that can potentially be a source of infection.

All clinical and common area. (including door handles and surfaces will be regularly disinfected in addition to our normal cleaning protocols)

Appointments will be spaced out to allow additional decontamination procedures and allow preparation time for next patient.

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.

We will provide tissues and mouth wash and ask you to use it for 1 minute prior treatment.

All your treatments will be planned carefully and will be managed in a calm and extra safe environment.

The financial impact of COVID-19 pandemic will be substantial. Shenas Dental Clinic will be increasing its fees to reflect additional measures and equipment we need to implement.