COVID 19

To our Patients and Friends of Platinum Dental Care,

Our team have been working tirelessly to keep Platinum Dental Care a clean and safe environment for you.

As a Dental Practice, we work in an environment where the prevention of the spread of a whole range of infections is woven into everything we do.  In addition to our usual scrupulous cross infection control measures, we have been paying particularly close attention to all government and dental regulatory bodies guidance and updates related more specifically to Coronavirus.

Given the unprecedented situation in the UK regarding the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus, we feel we must use our own clinical judgment and act in the best interests of our patients and staff.

Our New Patient Journey

The practice has implemented new cross infection prevention control standards in light of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure paramount safety of our staff and patients. We kindly ask you to thoroughly read all aspects of this email and comply with the requirements for your appointment.

You will be sent your patient forms to complete/update remotely online via an email link 5 days before your appointment. Please complete these as soon as possible, they will include:

• Medical History
• Health Screening (COVID-19)
• Patient Details
• Oral health Survey
• Terms and Conditions (COVID-19 Declaration and Consent)
• Contact Consent
• We will also be sending any relevant treatment consents to you via email prior to your appointment. Please kindly read, sign and return these remotely before you attend your appointment where possible.

Please inform us if you require any assistance in completing your forms.

Please see below for further details.

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Pre-appointment Patient Information

Please do not attend the appointment if the following applies to you:

1. If you have been in contact with any persons who are unwell or have COVID-19 Symptoms.
2. If you, or anyone in your household, have a temperature in excess of 37.8 degrees or a fever.
3. If you or anyone in your household have a persistent cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual).
4. If you, or anyone in your household, recently developed anosmia (a loss of or change in your normal sense of smell or taste).
5. If you have previously tested positive for covid-19 and still not feeling well after 10 days of receiving your result

Please maintain self-isolation and contact the practice by phone or email for further advice or follow the below link for government website advice.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Please note that if you require urgent dental care and the above criteria applies to you, then please inform the practice and a referral to an appropriate COVID-19 treating facility can be arranged.

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Our amended patient journey…

To maintain the highest safety and care standards we have developed a new patient journey. Please read through this carefully so that you know what to expect on the day of your appointment.

Arriving for your appointment….

• Please wear a face covering/mask to your appointment and bring a clean plastic bag to store it in during your appointment.
• Please do not bring any non-essential belongings to your appointment.
• Please attend the appointment alone unless a parent or carer is required. Kindly inform us of this in advance if this is the case.
• Please attend the practice at the start time of your appointment and do not arrive early or late.
• Please wait outside until a member of staff lets you into the practice.
• Once in the practice a member of staff will ask you to disinfect your hands for 30 seconds using the alcohol gel available in our lounge.
• Please maintain social distancing from other patients and staff in the practice.
• Please refrain from touching surfaces, doors and handles and wait for staff to open doors for you.
• Your wait in the waiting room will now be minimal and you will be taken straight through to the surgery. A maximum of 4 patients will be allowed in the waiting room at one time.
• Please try and avoid using the toilet at the practice, do not attend expecting to brush your teeth or mouth wash prior to your appointment.
• There will be no refreshments available in the waiting room temporarily, so please ensure you have hydrated prior to the appointment or bring a small bottle of water with you.

During your appointment….

• Please do not attempt to greet any staff by hand.You will be asked to wash your hands upon entering the clinical area.
• The Dentist and Nurse will have their PPE on throughout the appointment even when talking to you before and after the procedure.
• Please listen carefully to their instructions regarding changes in the normal procedure routine.
• If you are having an ‘aerosol generating procedure’ the Dentist and Nurse will now be wearing a FFP3/respirator mask and full clinical gown which may look a little different to normal, please do not be alarmed and know that this is for their safety.
• When the procedure is complete you will be asked to wash your hands once more before leaving the surgery.

After your appointment….

• Please walk over to the reception desk to book your future appointment as normal.
• Please preferably pay in advance for the appointment over the phone otherwise a contactless method is preferred.
• The practice no longer accepts cash payments.
• There will be a small PPE charge added to the cost of your visit. This will be £4 or £12 depending on the PPE required for your appointment.
• Any treatment estimates, information or consent forms will now be emailed to you and will not be shown to you in the practice.

Please note…

• If you are considered a vulnerable or at risk patient for COVID-19, please write this and include the relevant details on your medical history form as the Dentist will need to risk assess your appointment to ensure your safety is prioritised.

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We look forward to seeing you then, however if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0207 531 1717 .

If you wish to cancel or reschedule this appointment, please allow 48 hours notice (see deposit policy on email reminders). Unless you need to cancel due to you or a household member displaying any COVID-19 symptoms or having come in to contact with a suspected or known COVID-19 case, in which case you can cancel anytime.

If you do have a dental insurance plan please email through details of the provider and policy number before your appointment.

Thank you for your support, and stay safe,
The Team at Platinum Dental Care