22/03/2020
Stramongate Dental Surgery
COVID-19: Information for our patients
Our priority at the Stramongate Dental Surgery is the safety of our patients and staff. Therefore, we are abiding to the latest guidelines set by the General Dental Council, the British Dental Association and the government.
During the national delay-phase of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, Stramongate Dental Surgery will be limited to providing emergency care for our registered patients only.
In order to comply with the government rule on social distancing, regular check-ups are temporarily suspended until 01/07/20. This may change according to government advice.
The reception team are still available to take your call during the normal working hours.
We are currently unable to register new patients.
COVID-19 Delay Phase
• Positive case definition: symptoms of continuous cough +/- high temperature
• Self-isolation extending to whole household where one member has such symptoms
• New social distancing measures
• At-risk patients (those with certain complex medical history) to stay at home for 12 weeks
Dept of Health Guidance:
• specific guidance on when to isolate for 7 days versus 14 days can be found on the government website.
• travel history is now irrelevant
• anyone with these symptoms who is WELL can stay at home and does not
need to engage with NHS 111 or be tested.
• anyone with these symptoms who is UNWELL should go to NHS 111 online
first for advice, rather than approaching their GP practice or pharmacy
• this applies to staff as well as patients
The situation is changing rapidly and it may well be that as the pandemic evolves emergency treatment and patient contact will only be deemed appropriate in a particular specialist setting and temporary practice closure may become mandatory.
On 22/03/20, the British Dental Association stated, “given the uncertainty and reflecting the practical consequences of the current official advice, we recommend that practices cease routine dentistry and operate an advice and emergency service only. Consistent with Government advice to limit social contact, face to face contact should be kept to a minimum but telephone advice should remain available during normal hours. This service will be important for patients, particularly until fully fledged emergency provision is in place. Each practice should make its own risk assessment of what is safe and what can be delivered by way of an ongoing emergency only service”.
Lastly, we would like all patients to know that both Daniel and Quentin will be available to see patients for pain and emergency treatment according to the General Dental Council guidelines keeping the strictest measures of decontamination for the safety of both patients and staff. We would also like to reassure our patients that once we have recovered from this crisis, we will be working full time to clear any backlog in the quickest and most efficient way.
If you have any queries regarding your dental health, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Stay safe and take care of one another,
The Stramongate Dental Surgery Team
