25th June 2020

Dear Sunnyside Dental patients,

Our priority has been and always will be the safety of our patients, our staff and the dentists who are operating in the surgery. We know that returning to routine dental care does not mean business as usual as we knew it before COVID-19. There will be limits on what can be done clinically and how many patients can be seen in a day. We will do our best to protect everyone and ensure that all dental and surgical procedures are carried out safely.

For your information and peace of mind :

• We have installed Air Filtration Units in the surgery to ensure all the air is filtered within minutes of our patients leaving the surgery. These units are supposed to kill smells, bacteria and viruses.

• PPE worn by the staff is going to be of highest possible standard. Please excuse us if we look like people who are about to take off in a shuttle.

• The ENTIRE surgery will be cleaned and disinfected between each patient with special disinfectants. The Dental Units will be cleaned respectively.

• We will ensure that there is always sufficient ventilation in the surgery.  All our surgeries are fully air-conditioned and have windows to the exterior. We will be ventilating the treatment room according to the amount AGP (aerosol generated procedures) generated before  and after each patient.

• For safety reasons further measures will be taken to ensure that certain surgical procedures are carried out on certain days only.

• If you are concerned about any procedures or about anything at all please feel free to speak to the surgery staff.

3rd June 2020

Dear Sunnyside Dental patients,

Sunnyside Dental Practice is happy to announce that we will be starting to see patients from Wednesday 10^th of June 2020. Please note, as you are no doubt aware, we have been off for just under 3 months and we have a backlog of patients who require urgent treatment and those patients will take priority over routine dentistry.

WHAT TO EXPECT : the day before your appointment the nurse will ring you:

• To update your medical history. Please also ensure you have your drug history ready as well.

• We will check with you if you have any Covid-19 symptoms.

• We will also explain to you what to expect on the day of your appointment.
• Please give the nurse some idea of your dental problem so that correct length of time can be allotted for your appointment.
• Please ensure you brush your teeth just before you leave your home to come to the surgery. Do not eat anything after you have brushed.
• Please refrain from bringing any additional belongings, i.e., jackets, bags, etc., into the surgery. All belongings must be left in the car.
• Kindly note that two meters Social distancing must be maintained except in the surgery.

• All toilets and washrooms are out of bounds for all patients at present

ON THE DAY: outside upon arrival

• Stay in your car until the nurse comes and collects you
• The nurse will check your medical history again and you will asked to sign (please bring your own pen)
• The nurse will check your temperature and note it down.

• Please leave all the jackets etc in the car

ONCE IN THE SURGERY

You will be asked to wear foot coverings

You will NOT need to go to the appointments desk. You will go to the desk only after you complete your treatment for payments etc.

You will be guided straight to the surgery.

• You will be asked to Sanitize your hands and use a mouthwash ( maximum viral load is found in the saliva )

• It’s possible you may be asked to wear a mask should you have to wait in the waiting room for any length of time

AFTER THE APPOINTMENT

• Please note-Card payments only. Cash payments will be accepted only if there is no other option.

• All future appointments will only made by phone

1st June 2020

Dear Sunnyside Dental patients,

We are proud of the care and service we provide at Sunnnyside Dental practice and we are grateful to all our patients that continue to support our fabulous team.

These are very frustrating times for all of us – as many of you may know the Government, in a surprise move, announced last week that dental practices can resume face to face care from June 8th providing all necessary measures are in place.

So this does not mean we can simply open the doors and start again as before – the very nature of dental work means we work in close proximity to you the patients and our support staff.

New operating procedures now have to be put into place and new PPE stocks have to be obtained in large quantities, staff trained accordingly as well as putting social distancing measures into place in the rest of the Practice environment – for your protection as well as the staff.

As a profession we are anxiously waiting on these new clinical guidelines to be published (YES!).

As soon as they are published dentists will adapt them to their own circumstances but one thing is for sure – dental work and the way it is delivered will be different so PLEASE BARE WITH US WHILE WE WORK ON THESE NEW MEASURES – they are for everybody’s protection.

When we do open we will first prioritize the problems that have inevitably built up during the enforced Lock-down period so please do not contact the surgery just yet for your routine examinations.

Sessions are likely to divided into

Triaging and minor repairs requiring less PPE
More extensive work and repairs involving more extensive PPE and Covid-19 procedures
We will keep you informed of a likely start up date when we know more

WE ARE WORKING AS FAST AS WE CAN WITH LIMITED INFORMATION AT PRESENT

Kind Regards

Sunnyside Dental Practice