Adaptations for oral hygiene safety this year include increased infection control and prevention. It means that even your regular dental hygiene appointment is not quite the same as it used to be. As we adjust to new ways of working, we thank you for your patience and understanding.
Please continue to read our advice and guidelines from Sophie Kent, dental hygienist at SpaDental Tewkesbury. She explains the current safety measures for hygiene appointments, and what patients can expect when they attend the practice.
Dental hygienist Sophie Kent graduated from the University of Bristol as a dental hygienist. She enjoys helping her patients achieve their optimum oral health by establishing regular care routines. Recognising how new procedures for controlling the spread of coronavirus affect oral care, Sophie explains why hygiene interventions are possible using either hand tools or PPE. After all, patient well-being is always top priority.
Arriving at the practice
We kindly ask patients to:
- Wait outside the front door until a member of the team calls you at your appointment time and screens you prior to allowing you entrance to the building.
- Bear with us during busy times as we try to operate a socially distanced environment for patients within the practice.
- Socially distance at all times inside and outside the practice, wherever practically possible.
- Wear a face covering at all times, until you are asked to remove it.
- Complete your Medical History Form and Covid-19 screening questions in full, preferably online or by email prior to your appointment. We ask for you to do this remotely to reduce the need for paperwork handled in the practice. If, for any reason, you cannot complete the paperwork in advance, either online or by email, please alert our team who will contact you by phone prior to your appointment. They will be happy to assist you.
- List all health conditions and all your current medication/s on your Medical History Form.
- We cannot accept forms which are not completed in full. If the form is incomplete, under current government health guidelines we must class you as ‘high risk’, until a reassessment.
Please note: If we cannot assess your Covid-19 status prior to your appointment, we may have to reschedule or even turn you away from the practice.
Oral hygiene appointments and your safety
Non-aerosol oral hygiene treatments
For the time being, all routine scaling is done manually with hand tools, without the use of any air or water which creates an ‘aerosol’. During the treatment your hygienist will carefully remove plaque to protect against tooth decay and gum disease.
AGP oral hygiene treatments
Your dentist or hygienist may deem it necessary to plan and carry out your treatment as an aerosol procedure. If so, they will discuss this with you during your assessment.
Both patient and staff safety is important during all AGPs, therefore:
- The team must wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) during your treatment.
- Following the procedure, no-one may enter the surgery for a specified period of time. Once the time limit is over, the room is thoroughly deep cleaned.
- There is a surcharge for all treatments to cover some of the costs of operating with new infection control protocols. The charges for AGP treatments are the highest. You can read more about the coronavirus surcharges here.
Cosmetic polishing
Unfortunately, until further notice, we cannot offer cosmetic polishing during routine hygiene appointments. Polishing generates aerosol splatter and is therefore a risk factor for spreading Covid-19. Dental teams may only use polishing tools during an aerosol procedure, wearing enhanced PPE.
Regular hygiene appointments benefit your oral health
Even with the current restrictions to the treatments we can safely offer, we still strongly encourage patients to attend the practice for oral hygiene care. Although good routines at home support your oral health, a professional clean, even if it is without the polish, is beneficial.
Additional safety restrictions for a safe oral hygiene appointment
- Current Covid-19 guidelines advise that the use of surgery spittoons is also a risk factor for spreading the virus into the atmosphere. Therefore using the spittoon is limited to aerosol procedures only, as the team is wearing enhanced PPE and surgery time is reserved for cleaning after the procedure.
- The practice cannot accept payment in cash. Card payments are taken in person or by phone.
- To reduce handling paperwork in the practice, medical history forms and treatment plans, for example, are emailed or filled in online whenever possible.
Before you attend your appointment, if you need clarification or help, please get in touch with us.
As our phone lines and reception staff are busier than before screening patients, you may find it quicker and easier to use our online contact form.
Patients also ask:
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- What’s the difference between hand scaling and ultrasonic scaling?
- Why aren’t hygienists polishing teeth at the moment?
- What’s good oral hygiene got to do with coronavirus?
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