Call Us
01926 422392
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri: 9:00 A.M - 5:30 P.M - Sat-Sun: Closed

COVID-19

 

January 2021

 

Dear Patient:

SH Dental Care is open and safe.

We’d like to reassure you that our practice is a safe place to be. 

We have excellent infection control procedures along with a robust triaging policy to ensure the safety of both patients and staff. Our dedicated team are very familiar with the infection control procedures being used to manage the virus as they are much the same as those that have been applied by our practice for many years. (Our team has been training in infection control procedures for decades).

We have all the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) and will continue to follow national guidelines and standards. 

We continue to recommend that patients in the high-risk category for COVID-19 delay non-essential treatment until further guidance has been given by the relevant authorities.

How you can help:
• With the exception of children and patients with carers, patients should come alone.

• Please observe social distancing at advised by staff within the practice.

• Payment will be by card only.

• If you show symptoms following appointment booking, you should contact the practice by phone.

• Please do not arrive too early to the practice, you may have to wait outdoors if we are unable to allow access due to social distancing measures.

• Please do not arrive without an appointment as we may not be able to allow access to the practice due to social distancing measures.


When you arrive:
• We advise that you wear a mask at all times while inside the dental practice and only remove your mask at the request of one of our team.

• Please do not arrive more than 5 minutes early for an appointment due to social distancing guidelines.

• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients.

• As you enter the building you will need to use the alcohol disinfectant rub to disinfectant your hands.

• The treatment rooms will be prepared prior to your appointment with all surfaces disinfected after each patient. The air purification units will continue to be used throughout the day in each surgery. 

We can assure you that we will continue to maintain high standards of cross infection control.

Stay safe and please contact us if you have any questions. 
 

 

December 2020
 

Dear Patient, 

SH Dental Care is open and safe 

We’d like you to keep your appointments if you have one and want to reassure you that our practice is a safe place to be. 

We have excellent infection control procedures along with a robust triaging policy to ensure the safety of both patients and staff. Our dedicated team are very familiar with the infection control procedures being used to manage the virus as they are much the same as those that have been applied by our practice for many years. (Our team has been training in infection control procedures for decades).

We have all the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) and will continue to follow national guidelines and standards. 

What next? 
If you are worried about your attendance, please contact us to discuss your concerns and we can always postpone your treatment till a later date. 

We continue to recommend that patients in the high-risk category for COVID-19 delay non-essential treatment until further guidance has been given by the relevant authorities.

If you call to make an appointment, you will be asked some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again at your appointment.

When you arrive:
We advise that you wear a mask at all times while inside the dental practice and only remove your mask at the request of one of our team.

Please do not arrive more than 5 minutes early for an appointment due to social distancing guidelines.

Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.

As you enter the building you will need to use the alcohol disinfectant rub to disinfectant your hands.

The treatment rooms will be prepared prior to your appointment with all surfaces disinfected after each patient. The air purification units will continue to be used throughout the day in each surgery. We have sourced PPE and unlike the start of the Pandemic (March 2020 in the UK), there is no shortage. 

We can assure you that we will continue to maintain high standards of cross infection control.

Stay safe and please contact us if you have any questions. 
 

 

11 June 2020

 

Dear Patient:

We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health.

You may have heard that dental practices can open from Monday 8 June.

Our practice will start to open from 15th June 2020. It will take some time for resumption of dental services so please be patient. We will firstly plan to see emergency patients who are asymptomatic from Covid-19 signs and symptoms - This is why it is vital for us to triage the phone calls and reduce risks for you and my Team.

You will see changes when it is time for your next appointment. For example:

• Our practice will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again at your appointment
• You will be emailed the necessary forms to fill out before you attend for your appointment.
• On arrival you will have your temperature checked and be asked to use the hand sanitiser or soap and water at the sink.
• Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.

How you can help:

• With the exception of children and patients with carers, patients should come alone
• The toilet will be for emergency only and only accessed with the approval of SH Dental Care Team.
• A distance of at least 2 metres must be observed if another patient is present in the dental practice.
• Payment should be made by card where possible. If visiting reception, please respect the zoned areas and social distancing.
• Staff will not shake your hand and maintain social distancing.
• If you show symptoms following appointment booking, you should contact the practice by phone.
• Please do not arrive early to the practice. If necessary, you should wait outside the practice respecting social distancing outside our Practice.
• Please do not arrive without an appointment as the door will be closed and all appointments are made by phone after a thorough triage protocol.
• Patients should come wearing a mask, as we have to have our own PPE to protect staff.


Yours Sincerely,

Mr Hothi and Team
 

March 2020

Dear Patient,

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we are postponing all examinations, treatments and hygiene appointments.

If you have an appointment that you would like to postpone or change please contact the practice on telephone number 01926 422392 or email us on mail@shdentalcare.co.uk.

The team will be available to answer your calls during normal opening hours.

If you need emergency dental advice during normal opening hours please call the practice on 01926 422392. We will provide an assessment and clinical triage via a telephone consultation with a Dentist. We now have emergency centres set up so if you need face to face management then this can be arranged after a clinical triage telephone consultation with a dentist.

For emergency dental advice outside of these hours please call NHS 111.

More information is available on the following websites -


Why routine dental treatments are not available

Dental check-ups and treatments involve close contact between the dentist and patient and so should not take place. Also, dentists and their teams have to avoid using tools like drills and the ones used for scales and polishes. This is to prevent them from catching the virus from an infected patient and passing it on to other patients.

Drills and other high-speed toolls create a lot of 'spray' from patients' mouths so dentists need to use protective clothing and equipment. 

COVID-19 has a seven-day period before symptoms show, where someone wouldn't know they had it and could pass it on to others. If an unsuspecting patient had a filling, the spray from doing that procedure would likely infect the dentist and the nurse. 

The personal protective equipment dentists wear when using high-speed tools is currently required by hospitals treating coronavirus patients. Without this equipment dentists, hygienists, therapists and nurses are not safe to treat patients as normal. 


What if I have a dental emergency?

Assuming you do not have COVID-19 related symptoms, you should call your practice. They will be able to decide what your options are. 

If you believe or know you have COVID-19 and have a dental emergency, please phone NHS 111.