Dear Patients,

I hope you are well and you and your families have been coping throughout these unprecedented times.

We are pleased to inform you that in line with current government guidelines The Smile Team is now open mainly for emergencies and also some treatments.

We have been working hard as a team over the past few months to update our procedures in order to ensure the utmost safety for patients as well as staff. We would like to reassure you that we at The Smile Team have always prided ourselves on keeping up to date with all methods of cleanliness and sterility. Our dental practice is an extremely clean environment and even prior to this pandemic our infection control measures were of a very high standard. The concept of PPE is not new in dentistry and the wearing of gloves and masks has been our protocol for many years. We are following advice from NHS England to introduce further safety and protective methods. Please be reassured that all our staff will be complying with updated procedures to reduce the risk of cross infection in both directions.

In order to reduce the risk of cross infection and maintain the safety of our patients and staff, we will be able to see fewer patients each day and have therefore had to prioritise as follows

1) Those patients who have contacted us with an emergency during lockdown

2)Patients who were under treatment which was halted by lockdown

3)Any patients who have been cancelled

If you are in any of these categories, our dentists or nurses will be contactingyou over the next couple of weeks, to discuss your treatment and book yourappointment. Please be aware we are currently limited by regulations of whattreatments we are permitted to carry out. There will be various forms andprocedures to be completed online ahead of your appointment, and this willbe explained to you in greater detail at the time of booking.

All other bookings will be open in due course – please check our website for updates.

 

Patient Procedures:

 

Please do not attend if you or anyone in your household has or has had Covid symptons in the 14 days prior to your appointment. If this occurs between the time of booking and the date of y our appointment please inform us and we will re schedule your appointment.

 

In order to minimise the face to face contact during your appointment, all patients will be triaged prior to their appointment so that a treatment plan will have been established. All forms including up-to-date medical forms as well as consent forms will need to be signed and returned before the appointment. This ensures that there is no signatures will be required in the surgery or waiting room.

 

In order to reduce the number of people in the surgery, you will be asked to wait in the car or outside the practice at your appointment time, and you will be asked not to bring anyone else with you unless it is a parent or carer.

 

If you are travelling by public transport it is imperative you wear a mask and gloves on your journey.

 

When the dentist is ready for you, you will be greeted at the door by a member of staff, (wearing appropriate PPE) who will t ake your temperature (using a non contact thermometer) and you will be given hand sanitiser to use. Any patient who has symptoms or a high temperature will be asked not to enter the surgery in order to minimise infection risk. If y ou are well, you will be escorted at a safe distance to the surgery where the dentist will be waiting for you.

 

In order to maintain the sterile environment within the surgery, any belongings you have with you (which we would ask be kept to a minimum) will be kept in a plastic box downstairs and not be brought into the surgery.

 

Please note the waiting room and toilets will NOT be in use for the time being.

 

During your appointment the dentist and nurse will be wearing extra PPE and will complete your treatment under government guidelines.

The Smile Team, 831A High Road, North Finchley, London N12 8PR T: 020 8445 2994 E: info@thesmileteam.co.uk www.thesmileteam.co.uk