COVID – 19    

Updated 22/06/2020

We are now open

We are very excited to announce that we are opening on Monday 1st June

Like many dental practices, we have been working behind the scenes in preparation to open our doors. We will be reopening with a phased approach and with a slightly different patient journey. For more information on how we will be taking care of you our patients and our staff Please see our RETURN TO WORK POLICY

As new guidelines and social distancing measures are reduced we will gradually return to normal.

We are excited to see you all again

Ali

Updated 24/05/2020

Re-Opening of The Gentle Dental

To our lovely patients

Firstly, may I take the opportunity of thanking you for your patience during this lockdown period.  I think that all our patients should be congratulated on how well they managed during this difficult period.

Thankfully, this tough time isn’t lasting forever and we are excited to be able to plan how we are going to be re-opening the practice.

If you’re like us, you’re probably caught between the desire to get things back to normal, and concerns about keeping yourself and others safe. I want to reassure you that our expert team are doing everything we need to do to make sure that your next visit to the practice is safe.

New processes and procedures have been put in place at the practice to ensure everything can be done in a safe manner and are within the most up-to-date guidelines. These include using the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as well as continuing to meet social distancing requirements. Please read our Return To Dental Work  Policy for more information as to the extensive work and procedures we have put in place for our return and your safety.

It’s likely there will be further changes to be made as the situation develops. Rest assured,  our team are dedicated to reacting quickly and effectively to all new guidance and if these could affect your next appointment, we will let you know in good time.

If you have any questions you can find more information on our website and social media pages. Or you can contact the practice team on hello@thegentledental.co.uk or call 0208 224 7562.

On behalf of myself and the team

Dr Ali Rifai

Temporary Closure of the Practice 

UPDATED 07/05/2020

To our Dear Patients

The Gentle Dental remains closed to routine dental care during the COVOD-19 pandemic. All clinical activity has been suspended since 24th March 2020 and appointments for the last week of March and all of April and May 2020 have been postponed. It is our intention to re-open the practice with suitable precautions on 1st June and we will be contacting patients with ongoing courses of treatment during May.

WE ARE CONTACTABLE FOR ANY EMERGENCIES ON 0208 224 7562. HAVE A MEMBER OF THE TEAM AVAILABLE TO ANSWER AND TRIAGE YOUR CALL, AND PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH MYSELF OR ANOTHER DENTIST. AT ALL OTHER TIMES PLEASE CALL 020 2224 7562 AND LISTEN TO OUR ANSWERPHONE MESSAGE FOR DETAILS OR EMAIL ali@thegentledental.co.uk

Dental emergencies that require urgent dental care and attention are as follows:

• Life-threatening emergencies, e.g. airway restriction or breathing/swallowing difficulties due to facial swelling – these require hospital admission and you should call 999 if you are having breathing or swallowing difficulty
• Trauma including facial/oral laceration and/or dentoalveolar injuries, for example avulsion of a permanent tooth
• Oro-facial swelling that is significant and worsening especially if accompanied by elevated temperature.
• Post-extraction bleeding that the patient is not able to control with local measures
• Dental conditions that have resulted in acute and severe systemic illness
• Severe dental and facial pain: that is, pain that cannot be controlled by the patient following self-help advice
• Fractured teeth or tooth with pulpal exposure
• Dental and soft tissue infections without a systemic effect
• Oro-dental conditions that are likely to exacerbate systemic medical conditions

You may need to call NHS 111 for further advice before making or attending your appointment.

If you receive any automatic reminders for May, please ignore them for now and we will be in touch as soon as it appears we will be able to reopen safely to rearrange all current ongoing treatment appointments.

Please keep safe and follow current government advice and instruction. We hope to resume normal services when we return after the current outbreak peak as soon as it is safe to do so.

We would like to thank all of our patients and colleagues for all for your support and understanding at this time.

Dr Ali Rifai BDS PgCERT MClinDent
Clinical Director THE GENTLE DENTAL

Updated 06/04/2020

We hope you are all keeping safe and well at home. We have made some changes to our website to make it easy for you to book video consultations with Dr Ali Rifai. Through this link above you are able to schedule a time to discuss any future treatments.

Updated  26/03/2020

As mentioned in our previous update we have been instructed not to see any patients at all face to face.

We are able to send you any Oral Health products that you may need or Whitening top up kits please do to get in contact with us.

All Denplan patients will get their products sent to them with Free postage.

Updated  23/03/2020

Hello everyone,

We hope you are all keeping safe and well. We would like to update you on The Gentle Dental health protection measures.

Due to the COVID – 19 outbreak we are currently unable to perform our regular treatments following guidelines from the Chief Dental Officer, the government, and the most recent advice from other professional bodies on social distancing.

For the time being we will cancel all routine appointments and see Emergency cases as ordered by the Chief Dental Officer.

We have not taken this decision lightly and feel it is our social responsibility to down our drills and provide only absolutely necessary care to our patients and the public.

WHAT WE ARE DOING TO KEEP YOU AND OUR TEAM SAFE

• All appointments that are not regarded as urgent will be cancelled and postponed until further notice.
• No routine or examination appointments will be completed
• No hygiene appointments will be completed
• Staff on duty will be kept to a minimum (one nurse/receptionist, one dentist)
• Only patients in urgent cases will be booked after being called by the dentist to triage them.
• Only one patient will be booked into the practice at a time.
• We ask anyone accompanying our patients please wait in their car, to reduce the risk to our team and in turn our other patients.
• Invisalign patients can book video calls with our dentists to check their progress and if need be we will place you into passive retainers until we are able to get you back in.

One of our team will always be available for you if you need us.

We can’t wait to get you all back in and maintaining or restoring those lovely smiles of yours.

SOCIAL DISTANCING:

It means stay away from places where other people gather, avoid mass gatherings, and whenever, not possible, maintain a distance of at least one meter from each other.

Together we can help slow the infection from spreading.

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub.
• Best to do things online wherever possible (eg: video chats, e-payments, online games or chat on the phone)
• Stay home and enjoy reading a book, watching movies, listen to music, play in the garden.
• Avoid social visitors or non-essential workers in your house or workplace
• Avoid non-essential travel on public transport.

Updated  19/03/2020

Given the unprecedented situation in the UK regarding the COVID-19 virus we felt it was important to reassure you. We are continuing to keep our practice clean and safe for both you and our team.

You will appreciate that as a dental practice we work in an environment where the prevention of the spread of a whole range of infections is woven into everything that we do. Our infection control procedures are always at the highest level, and we will continue to do so for the safety of everyone. Nevertheless, we are paying particular attention to the latest government guidance on the transmission of corona-virus. Our staff are constantly cleaning common areas and objects that are frequently used (door handles, countertops, EFTPOS terminals, taps, etc.).

Know the guidance

Before attending the practice for your next appointment we would be grateful if you would review the most up to date government guidance – just click this link www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Keep us in the loop

Please remember to call us on 02082247562 or email us on hello@thegentledental.co.uk or use the WhatsApp button on our website to let us know if you wish to reschedule any of your booked appointments. We would be happy to schedule an alternative date for you.

At your next appointment

Please use the hand sanitiser on the front lounge table when entering and leaving the building.

We are arranging special appointments for our over 70’s, pregnant, long term health condition or weakened immune system patients.

Please do let us know if you are in one of these categories and we will rearrange appointments accordingly.