Dear Patient:

 

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

 

Our practice is now open but we just wanted to be clear that this may not be business as

usual. The treatments you are offered may be different to those you received before,

depending on staff and equipment available. It will take some time before services return to

what you previously experienced as normal. Please be patient.

 

Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are

looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things

have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety.

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice and you may have

seen this during your visits to our surgery. Our infection control processes are made

so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable. We want to tell you

about the infection control procedures we follow in our practice to keep patients and

staff safe.

 

Our practice follows infection control guidelines made by the governing bodies.

We are up-to-date on new guidance that has been issued. We do this to make

sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to

recommendations.

 

You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made

these changes to help protect our patients and staff. 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.
  • We have hand sanitiser that we will ask you to use when you enter the practice. You will also find some in the reception area and other places in the practice for you to use as needed.
  • We ask you to wear a mask when entering the practice
  • We will ask you to wait outside the practice until your appointment so please don’t arrive early.
  • We no longer offer magazines, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
  • Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment.

 

We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times

for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one

time.

 

How you can help:

  • With the exception of children and patients with carers, patients should come alone.
  • 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.
  • Staff will not shake your hand.
  • 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.
  • Please do not arrive without an appointment.
  • Patients should come wearing a mask if possible or be prepared to wear one.

 

Please rest assured we will contact you over the coming weeks/months to arrange your next appointment.

 

Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

All at Marlborough Dental Centre