The Chief Dental Officer (CDO MARCH 2020) has released a statement.
ALL DENTAL PRACTICES IN THE UK HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO:
- Cease all care of anyone who is classed as non-urgent and stop all procedures that generate aerosols.
- Dental Practices – the staff are at a very high risk of contracting the virus from the public and should only offer a dental service if they have the resources and the PPE.
For the safety of our patients, the general public and our staff members, we at Orthodontic Gallery are following BDA, NHS and LDC guidelines that ALL Orthodontic Care be stopped with immediate effect, until further notice. You will receive a text confirming the cancellation. We have cancelled ALL appointments until 31.05.2020 and we will monitor the situation until then as we may need to cancel further appointments.
We strongly advise patients to avoid seeking dental assistance until the coronavirus has been controlled and practice self-isolation for their own and others’ safety.
The NHS is being overburdened – and dentists and dental staff will soon be asked to become key workers at the NHS hospitals.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING YOU MUST WAIT UNTIL THE PRACTICE REOPENS
- Routine care such as an adjustment
- Wire changes
- Brace Fitting
- iTero Scans
- Investigation & Discussion
- Free Consultation
- Brace / Invisalign Debond
- Invisalign ClinCheck
- Invisalign aligner changes
- Invisalign aligner fits
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT MOST ORTHODONTIC PROBLEMS ARE NOT URGENT AND WE WILL ENDEAVOUR TO RESOLVE THEM AS SOON AS WE CAN.
If you believe you have an emergency that requires attention and you are NOT in the high-risk categories please contact Dr Anthony Lam, we are running an email triage system and will have to filter those that we can and can’t see.
Please contact me by email anthony@orthodonticgallery.com PLEASE DO NOT CALL Your message will not be received until the practice reopens.
(It may take up to 48 hours for me to get back to you as I will be dealing with other emergencies).
Emergency ONLY clinics will be open from 09:00 -12:00 on Monday and Wednesday. Emergency appointments will be on a first come first basis – then patients will be redirected to NHS 111. I apologise in advance – there are a finite number of days that we can cover as we are limited by our resources.
Please note: A broken bracket or bonded retainer WILL NOT be treated as it requires an ‘aersol-generating’ procedure to repair.
(IF WE HAVE THE RESOURCES THEN WE WILL TRY AND SEE YOU / YOUR REFERRED PATIENT FOR URGENT CARE: Otherwise, they will be advised to seek NHS emergency care. PLEASE BE AWARE THERE IS AN EXTREME SHORTAGE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND STAFF)
HIGH-RISK PATIENTS
NO HIGH-RISK PATIENT WILL BE SEEN AT ORTHODONTIC GALLERY:
1. ALL Infected and high-risk patients should be referred to the place advised to dentists by contacting
england.lon-dental@nhs.net
2. Patients can find out the local high-risk dental centre by calling NHS 111
(Special facilities have been set up with full clinical PPE setups )
WHO IS HIGH-RISK?
- Anyone displaying any COVID-19 symptoms; a new and continuous cough, sore throat, or a temperature of at least 37.8 degrees
- Patients who are or should be self-isolating
- 70 years or over
- Asthmatic
- Anyone with a respiratory condition
- Diabetic
- Low immunity
- Those that have been in contact with a known carrier or infectious individual
- Those that have been abroad within the last two weeks
- Those that continue to work or travel into Central London
- Those that use any form of public transport
- Key workers
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ALL INVISALIGN PATIENTS – will be asked to hold their treatment when they come to the end of their set of aligners.
FIXED ORTHODONTIC PATIENTS – can remain in their current brace wire.
BONDED RETAINER BREAKAGES – please increase your removeable retainer wear.
You may seek advice if you are not sure what to do – please email us and I will do my utmost to get back to you. We understand the impact this will have on the continuity of your care but we know that you will understand the risk that our staff and our patients face in this industry.