Updated 13/5/20
Despite some of the lock-down restrictions easing, unfortunately dentistry remains unchanged. We have been instructed that we are still not able to provide any non urgent care and have not been updated about when we are able to book routine examination and hygienist appointments. We discuss how we are preparing the practice here.
24/6/20
As we are continuing to be living with the government imposed lock-down, we are still not able to see patients for routine dental care. If you are due a routine examination or hygienist visit, we are planning extending practice opening hours to work through the missed routine appointments over the past few weeks. For patients who have had appointments cancelled, we will contact you directly to rearrange these as soon as we are able.
If you have a dental emergency, or wish to speak with one of our dentists, please call the practice on 0191 286 3398. Expect a delay when calling us as the telephone is being re-directed to our dentists.
Following national guidance, the practice is currently only able to see patients who have a dental emergency (pain, swelling etc). We are not seeing patients for non-essential dental care during this period of stricter government controls. We are also very restricted with the procedures we are allowed to do - this is an unprecedented time for everybody and we endeavour to do our best to help you as much as we can.
If you have been told to self isolate (over 70 years old or increased risk of severe illness) you need to be epecially stringent with these self isolation measures. These groups are identified here. We are continuing to see patients in this group for dental emergencies if absolutely necessary. For advice about how pain can be managed at home here. .
Given the unprecedented situation regarding the COVID-19 virus, we felt it was important to update you.
Firstly, let us reassure you that we are keeping fully up to date with current Department of Health and Government guidance. As you can appreciate, this is a fast moving situation for all of us and our Kingston Park team are doing everything we can to keep our patients, staff and community safe.
Currently, we have been told to remain open. A number of the treatments that we normally provide have been restricted. If you have an appointment booked with us already, we will be contacting you in the coming days to discuss your needs.
We hope you and your families are well, and we want to encourage everyone to participate in the social distancing recommended by the Government. These social distancing measures are to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) through our community, and give our NHS hospitals the best fighting chance.
Attending the practice?
If you are attending the practice, please be aware that we have increased procedures significantly. Do not be alarmed by this. This is to keep everyone safe. Please use the hand sanitiser when you enter the building. Please forgive us if we ask you to stand away from reception, and don’t shake your hand! You’ll notice that we have removed some non-essential items from the waiting area like magazines and books. These will return once all this is over!
Self-Isolating?
If you are self isolating and are unfortunate enough to develop toothache during this time, you may find information on our website (www.kpteeth.co.uk/pain) helpful. Alternatively, we are here to help and happy to discuss your options. Stay at home and contact us on 0191 286 3398 or email info@kpteeth.co.uk. We will do everything that we are able to help.
We will endeavour to keep you informed through this period, and we thank you for your support in keeping everyone safe.
With Best Wishes
Andrew and Lee Gemmell
13.03.20
To Our Patients and Their Families,
At Kingston Park Advanced Dentistry our number one priority has always been the health and safety of our patients. Often in times of uncertainty, there can be a wealth of misinformation spread, especially in today’s digital age. As a leading healthcare authority in our community, we wanted to reach out to all of our patients regarding the COVID-19 virus, and to let you know the steps we are taking to alleviate any potential concerns.
According to the latest reports from the Department of Health and other national healthcare providers, the current health risks are minimal for most age groups. If you are at an increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) it is recommended you are particularly stringent in following social distancing measures. These groups are identified here. We are contacting patients in this group to rearrange routine appointments.
We recommend all of our patients to wash their hands frequently, avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay at home if you have a new continuous cough (this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly) or a high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back.
At Kingston Park Advanced Dentistry we follow strict cleaning policies for the protection of both our staff and our patients. Each staff member maintains rigorous personal hygiene standards as well as using new gloves and face masks for every patient interaction. We use hospital-grade disinfectants across the entire practice, with extensive room cleaning after each patient to ensure a safe and clean environment. After each use, all dental instruments receive the highest level of medical sterilisation available. These processes have always been of utmost importance in our practice and will continue to be the standards we uphold for our patients.
Please rest assured that we are following local and national updates daily, and will continue to maintain the highest level of safety and patient care that you have come to expect. There are some procedures which we are changing to minimise the generation of an aerosol. If you have any questions regarding your future appointments, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be posting additional updates through Facebook (@KPteeth) and on this website to keep our community and patients abreast of the latest updates regarding the current health situation.
Again, thank you for being a valued patient at Kingston Park Advanced Dentistry, we appreciate your continued trust and confidence. Together we can overcome these challenging circumstances and we look forward to taking care of you at your next scheduled appointment.
Sincerely,
Dr Andrew Gemmell
BDS, MFDS RCSEd, DipRestDent RCSEng, MPDC RCSEd, MSc RestDent, FDS RCSEd
Director. Kingston Park Advanced Dentistry