We Are Open!
Patient information – Second National Lockdown
Our practices are open for NHS and private dental treatments and we are continuing to see patients in order of their need to see a dentist. There are still fewer appointments available due to the protective measures in place, so we apologise if you need to wait to see a dentist. Please do not attend the practice in person unless we ask you to do so.
Your Initial Contact
Phone Triage
Prior to your appointment at the practice
Appointments at the practice
What about my routine examinations?
We have now reintroduced routine NHS examinations in the practice in an effort to keep the backlog of check-ups to a minimum going forward.
Please be aware that we still have fewer appointments available due to protective measures in place and some of our patients will have to wait longer for their routine examinations than they would prefer .
We have to prioritise our appointments so we will be in touch with patients to book their routine examinations as per individual risk assessment and clinical needs. This means that patients at higher risk of tooth decay or those suffering from gum disease will be seen sooner.
We are sorry for the inconvenience caused due to circumstances beyond our control and thank you for your patience and understanding. Our dentists are trying to fit some general check-ups into each day, along with their emergency triage. We have a record of all missed appointments on contact lists that we will be making our way through,. We ask kindly that you are patient with this process.
The dentist will contact you directly to book in your general check-up. If you are worried or in need of advice, please ring the practice.
What is an AGP?
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we’ve all been inundated with information and advice on how to stay safe and prevent the spread of coronavirus. Just like everyone else, we at The Smiles Studio have had to adapt and adjust, so we can adhere to strict professional guidelines which will help keep our patients and staff as safe as possible, while continuing to provide dental services.
‘AGP’ stands for an ‘Aerosol Generating Procedure’, which are commonly used in dentistry.
An aerosol-generating procedure is a medical or health-care procedure that results in the production of airborne particles or respiratory droplets. In dentistry these are chiefly generated by high-speed instruments working in the mouth, for example dental drills – known as turbines, mechanised scalers and air tooth polishers.
These instruments remove small pieces from tooth surfaces or from the teeth themselves, which become mixed with water and saliva, along with bacteria and microorganisms found naturally within the oral cavity. Unfortunately, they can also contain viruses, which is a concern regarding the transmission of COVID-19.
Without adequate safety precautions, aerosol sprays can become suspended in the air and inhaled by those close by, or fall as tiny droplets onto nearby surfaces, thereby posing a risk of the spread of infection.
How are we managing AGP appointments and what are our Covid protocols?
As a practice we are abiding by NHS and BDA guidelines. After any AGP procedure, each surgery will enter into a fallow time, in which nobody is permitted to enter. This means that where a single filling once took a mere 20 minutes, it can now put a dentist out of action for up to an hour afterward. Although this means we will be running with a limited number of surgeries, it is essential that we follow these rules.
Whilst in the surgery our dentist and nurses will be wearing extensive PPE. They have all been fitted with personal FFP3 masks in order to control infection and cross contamination.
Each surgery undergoes an extensive clean after any procedure. Our instruments are also disinfected and put into a high volume suction autoclave that will destroy any bacteria. They are then vacuum packed and stored away until they need to be used.
