COVID-19 Update

Our approach is to ensure patients can return to our clinic to receive the care they deserve safely. In addition to the high standard of infection control we routinely undertake, we have enhanced it further in alignment with the latest UK guidelines. You can be confident that you will be safe with us!

Our patient journey will be different to follow Social Distancing. We have called this our Arrival Etiquette. It must be followed, and we thank you in advance for doing so.

We are also requesting that patients complete a COVID-19 Screening Questionnaire for every visit to the clinic. This must be completed two days before your appointment, not earlier or later. If it is not completed in a timely manner, the appointment will be canceled and subject to our cancellation fees. Our team will be on hand to assist with this if you have any further questions.

Also, we have introduced a contactless form processing service called Patent Portal (update your medical history forms, patient details forms, etc.). This will all be sent prior to your appointment. Please complete these on your personal devices prior to your appointment to aid with other minimal contact processes in place.

Arrival Etiquette: 

Before you arrive: Complete COVID-19 screening Questionnaire, Patient Portal Forms, medical history forms, and patient details forms in a timely manner etc (2 days before the appointment).

When you arrive: 

• Please wait outside the clinic. To maintain social distancing, we will call you when you are ready for your appointment. Please have your mobile phone on hand.
• As usual, the door will be locked and opened upon your arrival. Please knock on the door (do not push the doorbell) to alert us of your arrival.
• Please arrive alone and promptly with one small bag. Cycles will not be allowed inside the premises, but many cycle stands are nearby.
• Your temperature will be checked with a no-contact thermometer by a staff member.
• You shall be asked some questions regarding symptoms (we appreciate you may have answered these before, but we are obliged to ask again)
• We shall provide you with a disinfectant hand rub.
• Please sit in your designated area. Please maintain a Social distancing of 2 meters.
• Please bring drinking water with you to the reception area.
• We shall not be accepting cash payments. Contactless payment (Apple Pay/Google Pay/Samsung Pay) is preferred.
• Our practice toilet will be unavailable to use.
• A no-handshake policy will be implemented, but I can assure you we will be happy to see you!

The steps we have to take to prepare ourselves and the treatment room:

In an unprecedented endeavour, we have taken many steps to protect the safety of our team and, most importantly us – our patients:

1. As a Team we will arrive at the practice, and get changed into our work clothes and change again before we leave the premises.
2. All surfaces, including door handles, will be disinfected and wiped down between patients. Antiviricidal solutions will be used, which are not harmful to us.
3. We will use lots of extra protection layers for you and our team. This includes expensive respirator masks, special gowns, eye protection and visors – we are sorry, but we will sometimes look like we are in a hospital! Suppliers in the UK are overwhelmed with orders, but we have managed to source the required equipment.
4. Online virtual consultations with a member of our clinical team. This means we can understand your needs before visiting us and minimize the time spent at the clinic.
5. Patients at high risk—We are aware that some of you are deemed higher-risk patients, e.g., the elderly, and people with certain health problems. We will discuss with you any special requirements you may have when we book your appointments, and I emphasise that your well-being is our number one priority. If needed, we will spend more time to ensure that those most in need are not put at added risk.
6. Extra staff training—By the time we are back, ALL of our staff will be experts in the latest methods of caring for our patients. We will make sure that all the work surfaces are cleaned thoroughly between patients and allow adequate time for the air purification and disinfection system to clean the air. This takes a little more time, and you may notice many changes when you next visit!

So, as you can see we are taking every conceivable reasonable step to take care of your wellness. However, rest assured that we will treat you with our customary good humour and, of course, kindness and respect. We love helping our patients at Mint Dental Clinic and will do everything we can to assist you. I would like to emphasise that our usual protocol is sufficient, but we wish to take further steps to reassure patients during their visit to the clinic.

UPDATE ON THE PHASING OF PATIENT CARE

I would like to update you on the phase of patient care we are providing. Currently, we are only providing telephone consults for emergency care. When we first open, we shall continue to provide this but also be able to see patients for face-to-face care. However, this will initially be limited to patients who require URGENT emergency care where we do not require the use of aerosol-producing equipment (e.g., drills).

This is to comply with Guidance from the Government and other Regulatory bodies. We shall update patients when we are able to see them for routine care.

NOTE – Screening Questionnaire is mandatory and must be completed 48 hours before your appointment. 

Please fill in the COVID-19 Risk Assessment two days prior to the appointment https://forms.gle/w6AYhM6MpixyQPc5A

Click the links to view our Arrival Etiquette Document and Video

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BXM4FUMMMOkCTUfrpAiLBzplFTg4IF3_eB3ao55E1eQ/edit?usp=sharing

Arrival Etiquette Video

Thank you,

The Team at Mint Dental Clinic