Call Us: 01772684744
Email Us: info@kirkhamdentalcare.co.uk
WE ARE FULLY OPEN
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UPDATE RE: DENTAL SERVICES DURING COVID -19 PANDEMIC
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LATEST UPDATE :
06/06/2020
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Practice Reopening FAQs
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When will Kirkham Dental Care be reopening?
We are pleased to say KDC will be reopening 15th June. The Chief Dental Officer has suggested practices look to reopen from 8th June and we feel this date is most appropriate for our practice to ensure we have all practical measures in place to maximise safety of patients and staff. It will also allow staff to undertake appropriate training w/c 8th June given our practices and procedures will be significantly different to pre lockdown.
What do I do between now and 15th June if I have a dental emergency?
As before please ring 01772684744 and you will be able to speak to a dentist at the surgery
What do I do if I have a routine query before 15th June?
Please email info@kirkhamdentalcare.co.uk and we will respond within 3 working days.
What happens if I was in the middle of treatment when the practice closed?
All patients who were in the middle of treatment when we were forced to close will be contacted by the end of June.
What will happen about my routine appointment that was cancelled between March and June?
All patients who had a routine appointment cancelled between March and June will be contacted by the practice over the next few weeks. The surgery phone line will likely be very busy when we reopen so we ask that you wait for us to contact you.
What if I’m shielding or do not wish to come into the practice for face to face appointment at the moment?
We are now offering video consultations (or telephone) to patients if they would prefer this to coming into the surgery. This is a great way to see your dentist, have access to oral hygiene advice and discuss any dental concerns you may have.
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What if I have a dental emergency after 15th June?
As before lockdown if you have a dental emergency contact the practice on 01772684744. We ask this is done ideally by 10 am each day to allow timely same day assessment. You will be offered a phone or video consultation with a dentist that morning and if appropriate then given a face to face appointment. This is slightly different to previously when patients were booked in to see a dentist without a remote assessment first. We have implemented this additional step to ensure only those patients who need a face to face appointment come to the practice to reduce footfall through the surgery. This is in the best interests of our patients and staff.
Will I be able to come into the surgery to arrange my appointment?
No. The surgery door will be closed and only those patients who have an appointment booked will be allowed on the premises to help achieve the correct levels of social distancing. If you need to communicate with the practice either ring on 01772 684744 or email info@kirkhamdentalcare.co.uk
Will I need to know anything extra before I attend my face to face appt?
Yes. All patients will be emailed an appointment pack prior to their appt. Please read this prior to your appointment for important information as to how things will be slightly different at the moment.
*Please note in view of the current Chief Dental Officer guidelines we are advised that we should only be doing aerosol generating procedures where absolutely necessary. If you were to need an aerosol generating procedure your dentist will assess this on a case by case basis and discuss your options with you at the time.
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PREVIOUS UPDATES:
29/05/2020
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**PRACTICE UPDATE**
As some of you may have seen in the media yesterday dentists have been given a provisional reopening date of 8th June. The dental profession learnt of this date at the same time as the general public and many of us were somewhat surprised by it. Our aim is to reopen as close to that date as we feel it is safe to do so.
I have been working extremely hard to source adequate PPE and prepare the practice and i'm confident Kirkham Dental Care will be in a really good position to achieve this. However there is still further specific guidance we require from our professional bodies, which we hope to receive next week. This will include what we are and are not allowed to do and practical information such as how long we need to leave between patients. As you can imagine it is impossible to open the practice or book patients until we know this detail.
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As with many professions and businesses, how we operate initially will be very different to how it was prior to Covid-19. So a return to 'normal' dentistry may take a while and we ask you to continue to bear with us.
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There will be further posts on facebook and on our website over the next few days with details of how the practice is preparing, and reopening dates, so please continue to check this page for more details.
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Thank you for all your support during this time, we are looking forward to seeing you soon.
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Alison
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02/05/2020
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To all our loyal patients
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We wanted to give you an update on what is happening at Kirkham Dental Care and to let you know we are working hard behind the scenes so we are prepared to welcome you back to the practice when it is safe to do so.
Even though our practice is physically closed we continue to offer an urgent telephone advice service to all our patients during normal working hours. This means if you have a dental emergency you can speak to one of our dentists on the phone who can advise and prescribe medication where appropriate. If you need to access this please call 01772684744.
As of Monday (4th May) hopefully our local urgent dental care centre will be up and running enabling us to refer patients who need to have urgent face to face dental treatment. Please be aware however due to the current pandemic the treatment options remain very limited in order to protect patients and staff.
If you have a routine query you can email info@kirkhamdentalcare.co.uk as we our checking our practice emails daily.
To date all routine appointments have been cancelled for May. We will look to rearrange them as soon as it is safe to do so.
We know how we practice dentistry may be a bit different in the short term but we are putting measures in place to keep staff and patients safe whilst ensuring routine dentistry can continue in the not too distant future.
This includes procuring appropriate PPE, which you can imagine in this current climate has its challenges, and putting physical measures in place such as air purifiers and Perspex screens at reception. We are continually reviewing latest guidelines and taking appropriate advice.
Can I take this opportunity to thank all those that are continuing to support our business and to our patients for their loyalty and understanding. It means so much to us as a local business that we can hopefully come out the other side of this and continue to be a fixture on our high street and a member of the local community for many years to come.
In the midst of all these difficult times there has been some good news. Three weeks ago myself and my partner welcomed a daughter into the world, so I wanted to introduce our newest member of the team, Erin Peggy.
Stay safe and don’t forget to brush twice daily!!
Alison
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22/03/2020
To all our lovely patients and those who may also be interested in what is happening
Sadly we have no choice, given the current escalating pandemic to suspend routine dental services and treatment at the practice from Monday 23rd March. This will initially be for a period of 6 weeks.
This action has been taken following on from the guidance received from the British Dental Association, Chief Dental Officer and Local Dental Committee who have strongly advised against carrying out so called ‘aerosol-generating procedures’, unless we are appropriately fitted with special FFP3 masks and other required protection equipment and protocols, which we don’t currently have any access to. This is because aerosol-generating procedures can potentially release viral particles into the air, putting staff and other patients at significant risk of contracting Covid-19.
Our door may be physically closed but we are still open and contactable for advice and support. If you have a dental emergency please contact the practice as normal and you will be directed what to do next. Please be assured that we will try to help our patients in whatever ways we can during this challenging time.
The situation is changing rapidly and we will continue to update you here and on our social media pages. We will also endeavour to post information on here to help you maintain good dental health at home. We have produced a FAQs sheet for patients to help answer any questions as well as self help guides and a link to useful resources. Please see links below for this information.
Having continued to consolidate the business for the past 5 years, we find ourselves in a heartbreaking situation, like many many other businesses. However we know with the support of our patients and community we will get through this together.
Finally I want to personally and publicly thank all my staff for their support and selflessness at this incredibly difficult time.
Best wishes and stay well
Alison
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Updated letter to patients 27th March 2020
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Useful Online Resources:
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