We have all been wondering what will happen when the UK finally leaves lockdown and the country slowly begins to go back to normality. It is a confusing time for us all, and knowing exactly what will happen as shops, café and restaurants reopen is anybody’s guess. Today we aim to give you an idea of what you could expect as Specialist Orthodontist Harley Street and many other dental practices begin to reopen their doors to the public. As you may expect and like many other industries have done, some measures will be put in place to combat COVID-19.
Specialist Orthodontist Harley Street will be reopening for face-to-face consultations in July.
Patients will find that booking appointment will be familiar to them and most of our booking methods will still be available. Patients can still book appointments online and across the phone. This will be as normal for the majority of our patients. With COVID-19 being so contagious, we aim to take every precaution in preventing the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, this does mean restricting some of our services. They will be available again as soon as it is safe to do so.
Upon Arrival
To reduce the risk of COVID-19, patients will now be asked to call us when they arrive, and wait outside of the building before their appointment. This way we can avoid patients and staff coming into close proximity for an extended amount of time, like in the waiting room. It should also reduce physical contact with reception desks, chairs, stairs and walls. Due to this measure, we and many practices will be asking patients to arrive promptly but not early to their appointment. We hope this is not too much of an inconvenience.
From here, one of our team will collect you from the exterior of the building. Upon entry of the building, some or all of the following steps may be asked of you before entering the practice. You will most certainly be provided with hand sanitizer to clean your hands. Your temperature may also be taken before you come in for your appointment. If your temperature is found to be above a certain threshold, you will be advised to isolate and reschedule your appointment for a later date, at least 14 days later. We also ask that adults attend their appointment alone, while under 18's are allowed to bring 1 adult.
During Appointments
We will aim to keep the appointment as normal as possible however there will be some obvious changes that you will see as you're brought into the appointment room. Firstly, your orthodontist will be dressed in protective gear, this is for both their and your protection. The equipment you can expect them to wear will include but is not limited to; face masks, gloves, face shields and full-body protective suits.
The PPE (personal protective equipment) worn by the specialist orthodontist will be changed after every patient appointment helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We will request that the PPE we have given you stays on unless your orthodontic specialist asks you to remove it. Some practices depending on size, staff and accessibility may also switch between rooms so that each room can be sanitized before another patient is brought into the room.
We will also be doing all medical history and risk assessments before the appointment via either phone or email. This reduces the time spent at the practice and also avoids any handling of pens and clipboards inside the premise. During your appointment, we would ask that you follow the instruction of your orthodontist, who will give you clear guidance. This is all in the aim of helping to reduce and avoid both patents and staff from contracting and spreading the virus.
When Leaving Your Appointment
Similarly to when entering the building, patients will be escorted back out of the building by a team member. We would continue to ask at this point that you do not touch or come into contact with anything that isn’t necessary. For example, expect doors to be opened for you, this way only a select few people touch the door handle daily.
As you exit the building, you will again be welcomed to take some hand sanitizer. We would then ask that you promptly make your way off the premises so that we may invite the next patient in. We understand that this is not ideal for our patients and it may seem very robotic and unnatural, however, this is a step we must all take to help our community defeat COVID-19.
Don’t Be Afraid
You don’t need to worry or be concerned about coming to our practice for an appointment. We are taking every measure to ensure that our orthodontic practice is as safe as possible for our patients and our staff.
Looking for Orthodontic Treatment Now?
Specialist Orthodontist Harley Street is currently providing an online consultation service to its patients. Appointments for a virtual consultation can be booked via our website today. Alternatively, book a consultation for when we reopen.
