Covid – 19

Re – opening Update!

We would like to thank all our patients for their understanding and patience during this very difficult time of extended practice closure. This policy has been created using the latest multiple update sources from both the Medical and Dental Professions. Below are some of the important and updated developments that we are putting in place, here at The Cosmetic Dental Gallery. As you know, all dental practices in the UK were instructed to close in late March by the Chief Dental Officer due to the potential risk of Coronavirus infecting the dental team as well as everyone associated with the practice. Our PM Boris Johnson announced that the rate of transmission of the virus has declined dramatically and there is thank goodness light at the end of the tunnel. The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic is still being evaluated and policies and recommendations are likely to change in line with new scientific evidence over time.  

Provisional Timetable

As per the government announcement it is our intention for all staff members to return to work on Monday 8th June unless an extension to the current lockdown is recommended by the government or professional bodies. The CDG team will be preparing the practice for reopening and practicing updated procedures in line with government guidelines before patients return to the practice. We will be resuming our services from Monday 8th June but there will be different protocols in place due to COVID-19. 

Clean Environment at The CDG

Our normal cross-infection control protocols at The CDG against all previously known pathogens are already woven into all clinical activity carried out at the practice. It should be remembered that the dental practice is already a very clean environment compared to public areas and it is not possible for us to control sources of infection outside the dental practice. 

What are we doing right now at The Cosmetic Dental Gallery?

Although the dental practice is closed, we are working very hard to plan for our return. We are privileged to be part of a highly advanced dental practices group and we have been working together to study all aspects of how best to help you and our team for many weeks. Currently, we have researched and assimilated information about many topics relating to the challenge posed by Covid-19. Our aim is to create a robust “Gold Standard”of precautionary procedures and protocols that will protect our patients and staff to ensure we are all as safe as possible in every situation. This goes far and above any recommendations likely to be put in place by the authorities.

Before You Visit Us

We will give you a courtesy call to check for any issues surrounding your general health as well as asking about any signs and symptoms of coughs, colds and other signs of respiratory infections. We will also ask questions on the well-being of anyone in your close family circle as well as checking you have not recently travelled from any current high-risk areas in the World. Your appointments will be scheduled on the telephone,and in order to help maintain social distancing we will ask you to pre-pay for your treatment planned for the day if possible. There will still be contactless payments available should you choose to purchase any oral hygiene products. This will greatly help limit your waiting time at the practice and help prevent the build-up of significant numbers of people together in our waiting area. These measures are highly recommended and are based on the proven best practice safe steps taken in Denmark, Germany, Spain and many other countries. 

We would recommend that patients in the high-risk category delay non-essential dental treatment for as long as possible until the downward trend of pandemic becomes clear. The following link will give you further information 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk-from-coronavirus

We will notify you if we feel that your treatment should be delayed. 

When You Arrive

We ask that you arrive 5 minutes before your appointment time and call us to let us know you have arrived. We will supply you with a mask to wear if you wish whilst you wait. Alternatively, you can wait in your car with your driver outside the practice and we will call you in as soon as your appointment is ready to start.

A member of staff will then greet you and check that your temperature is normal. If your temperature is above the normal limit of 37.8C, you will be advised to rebook your treatment and follow the government guidelines for self-isolation. We will try to strictly limit the number of patients waiting and you may notice our appointment times are a little different; this is so we can stagger the arrival of our patients to help maintain social distancing as far as we reasonably can.

We will need you to use our special disinfectant hand sanitiser and use a special anti-viral mouthwash to cleanse your mouth and throat. 

The steps we must take to prepare ourselves and the treatment room:

We have taken many steps to protect the safety of our team and most importantly to us – our patients: –

1. On arrival at the practice our team will get changed into our work clothes and change again before we leave the premises.
2. All surfaces including door handles, flushes in our washrooms, etc will be disinfected and wiped down three times in the day – before work, at lunchtime and after work. We will use a special product that is proven to be 80 times more effective than bleach, and yet is not toxic to people although highly effective against Coronavirus. This product has been used in the food industry for over 50 years and is not harmful to the environment.
3. We will be using lots of extra layers of protection for you and our team. This includes expensive respirator masks, special gowns, hats, eye protection and visors – we are sorry, but we will sometimes look like we are in a hospital! Suppliers in the UK are overwhelmed with orders; however, we will ensure we surpass the guidelines the NHS set in due course and add additional key protection (see below!).
4. New air purification and disinfection units – as you know, Covid-19 is an airborne virus and even when simply breathing and speaking infected people can accidentally expose others to risk. To protect you and the team we will be investing in very high specification air purification units of the type commonly used in hospitals in many parts of the world. However we will be buying UK made products so that any spares and parts are easily available. These scrub the air of germs as well as noxious chemicals and keep the air clean and healthy for you and the team whilst you are in the treatment rooms and  reception areas. We are making this high investment currently despite having no income at all for several months, However, you and our team are our primary concern as there is no price to be put on health!
5. Patients at high risk – we are aware that some of you are deemed higher risk patients, e.g. the elderly and people with certain health problems. We will discuss this with you when we book your appointments any special requirements you may have, and I emphasise your well-being is our number one priority. If needed, we will spend more time to ensure that those most in need are not put at added risk and we will try and accommodate you.
6. Dental dam and other devices:  We may use a sheet of material to isolate a tooth or teeth before we commence some treatments. Using a special powerful suction, we will keep you safe and comfortable as required whilst we do the work.
7. Covering the dental chair and draping you –to add further layers of protection for you and the team. 
8. Extra Time – The Cosmetic Dental Gallery will be providing an additional buffer between patients to allow additional time for decontamination procedures, allow for any treatment overruns and allow preparation time for next patient so that they do not need to wait in the reception area.  
9. Extra staff training –by the time we are back, ALL our staff will be expert in the latest methods of caring for our patients.  We will make sure that all the work surfaces are cleaned thoroughly between patients and allow adequate time for the air purification and disinfection system to clean the air. This takes a little more time and you may notice many changes when you next visit!

All dental staff will be upgrading their personal protective equipment in line with current recommendations and evidence including FFP2 and FFP3 masks, powered respirators, visors and protective clothing as appropriate. We apologise in advance for the necessary reduction in social interaction that this will necessitate. Whilst our attire may make us appear impersonal and distant, please be assured we are still the same friendly team underneath it all!

Thank You!

So, as you can see, we are taking every conceivable reasonable step we can to take care of your wellness. However, rest assured that we will treat you with our customary good humour and of course kindness and respect. We love helping our patients at The Cosmetic Dental Gallery and we will do everything we can to assist you.

In the meantime, we can be contacted during normal working hours on our surgery number as above and as always if you have an emergency outside of those hours, I will personally take emergency phone calls on my mobile number 07435 884 049. These are unusual and tough times for all of us, thank you for your patience!

Whilst we are home bound due to the lockdown, if you have a friend or family member who needs dental care or advice, then I would recommend two things at present: –

1. Head over to our informative website – www.thecosmeticdentalgallery.co.uk
2. Call our helpful reception to discuss any worries or concerns.

As a team, we always assure you of our best attention. Please keep safe.

Kind Regards,

Dr H S Matharu and team 

COVID-19 is an illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.

PLEASE STAY AT HOME IF YOU DISPLAY ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS

• a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest, back or forehead. (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you suffer from coughs regularly, it may be worse than usual)

To protect others, do not go to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Stay at home.

Should you suspect you have Coronavirus please use the NHS 111 online tool to assess what your next steps should be.Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.

How long to stay at home:

• If you have symptoms of coronavirus, you’ll need to stay at home for 7 days
• If you live with someone who has symptoms, you’ll need to stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person in the home started having symptoms
• If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term medical condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days.
• If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.

How to avoid catching and spreading coronavirus (social distancing)

Do

• wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• always wash your hands when you get home or into work
• use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards
• avoid close contact with people who have symptoms of coronavirus
• only travel on public transport if you need to
• work from home, if you can
• avoid social activities, such as going to pubs, restaurants, theatres and cinemas
• avoid events with large groups of people
• use phone, online services, or apps to contact your GP surgery or other NHS services

Don’t

• do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
• do not have visitors to your home, including friends and family

Advice for people at high risk

If you’re at high risk of getting seriously ill from coronavirus, there are extra things you should do to avoid catching it.

These include:

• not leaving your home – you should not go out to do shopping, visit friends or family, or attend any gatherings
• avoiding close contact with other people in your home as much as possible
  Read the full advice on protecting yourself if you’re at high risk from coronavirus on GOV.UK.