Throughout the various stages of the pandemic we have followed the most up to date national guidelines and applied the most appropriate procedures to ensure your safety and the safety of the team here at Ferring Dental Practice to enable us to continue to be open and available for your dental care.
I just wanted to update you on what we are doing to ensure your safety at the current stage of the pandemic. With the ongoing prevalence of the virus combined with changes in its presentation with the vaccine this is our current advice and process:
- If you are unwell, of course, please do not come into the practice. If you need advice, please phone.
- The door is no longer locked while the practice is open so please come in. If you do have an appointment, please try to arrive close to the time of your appointment as we have a limited number of socially distanced chairs in the reception area.
- Everyone arriving at the practice will continue to be screened for risk of infection. Where possible this will be done online via your patient portal so that you can come in without hindrance. If you are unable to complete the screening questions online or simply want to come in to make an enquiry, then we will still get you to answer some questions at the door but we are stopping the temperature checks as these are no longer a valuable indicator of risk.
- There is a hand sanitiser station at the entrance so please make use of this when you come in and when you go out. All the chairs in the waiting room are sanitised regularly and we continue to apply best practice infection control in the surgeries as we always have done and always will!
- After every dental procedure that creates an aerosol the air is changed at least 6 times so that the next patient comes in to a completely fresh surgery.
- If you are at high risk and wish to have a completely isolated appointment and not have any potential contact with any other member of the public please let us know and we will arrange things for you.
I hope that all makes sense. This has been a very complex time for all of us and we have really appreciated the kindness and good humour you have demonstrated as we work together to ensure everyone’s safety. If you have any questions either email us or phone or even call in.
With every good wish
Peter Saner
Clinical Director