24th February 2022

Although the legal requirement for isolation and face coverings have been removed, NHS England mandated all healthcare environments continue to follow the Standard Operating Protocols, and face coverings must be worn in Dental Practices. If you have tested positive for Covid-19, you should not attend your dental appointment, but contact us to re-arrange the appointment (failure to notify us will result in a ‘did not attend’ on your record and charges may incur).

14th February 2022

Our doors have re-opened. If you have any Covid Symptoms, please telephone the practice immediately.

Is visiting the dentist safe?

These are the measures we have put into place to make dentistry as safe as we can;

• We are testing our staff for Covid-19 twice weekly;
• All our staff have had their booster dose of the vaccine;
• We have invested heavily on ventilation systems to mitigate the risk of the virus harbouring. Every 1 hour, the air is the surgeries are completely changed 16 times!;
  
• We have reduced the flow of patients in the surgery by allowing limited patients in the waiting rooms, having one way systems in place and only one patient walking through the corridors at a time;
• Staff are always in full PPE and patients are not allowed to enter the building without face coverings. Patients hands are disinfected as they enter and leave;

1st February 2021

New Variant. We shall remain open.

As we heard on the news today, there is an increased number of the South African COVID-19 variant in the Maidstone area.

Please note Dental Surgeries are classified as healthcare/medical and we shall remain operational and no changes will be made to appointments. The government has announced that you are able to leave your home for medical reasons; which includes dentistry.

The government has stated that You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary. You may leave the home to: ….

• seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/na…

Why is it important to visit your dentist?

• In the first lockdown (March 2020), there was an increase in the number of hospital admissions due to dental infections. It is important that dental disease is caught early and preventing unnecessary increased burden to the NHS hospital staff.
• The profession is worried about an increase in undiagnosed oral cancers due to the decreased number of dental examinations. Oral cancers have a better prognosis if treated early.

Is visiting the dentist safe?

These are the measures we have put into place to make dentistry as safe as we can;

• We are testing our staff for Covid-19 twice weekly;
• All our staff have had their first dose of the vaccine;
• We have invested heavily on ventilation systems to mitigate the risk of the virus harbouring. Every 1 hour, the air is the surgeries are completely changed 16 times!;
• We are continuing with our strict protocols as highlighted on the video below, to ensure the safety of all our patients and staff Covid 19 Video: What to Expect;
  
• We have reduced the flow of patients in the surgery by closing off waiting rooms, having one way systems in place and only one patient walking through the corridors at a time;
• Staff are always in full PPE and patients are not allowed to enter the building without face coverings. Patients hands are disinfected as they enter and leave;
• Closed-door policy, only those that need to be in the property are allowed to enter.

Please watch our video on the instructions on what to do on your next visit: 

Covid 19 Video: What to Expect

You can read our full policy and changes at:

Covid 19 Policy

Dr Shushil Dattani

Clinical Director

Dec 7th 2020: New normal

We are carrying out all forms of dentistry with our strict protocols in place.

Lockdown announcement England 31st October 2020: We shall remain open.

Please note Dental Surgeries are classified as healthcare/medical and we shall remain operational and no changes will be made to appointments. The government has announced that you are able to leave your home for medical reasons.

We are continuing with our strict protocols as highlighted on the video above, to ensure the safety of all our patients and staff.

Re-opening of Kent Smile Studio June 8th

Update 14/07/2020: We are resuming routine examinations in very limited capacities due to social distancing measures (no waiting room facilities) and controlling our PPE supplies. Please bear with us as we may need to cancel any pre-booked appointments in August 2020 to allow these measures and inviting you to rebook. You will receive communication from the practice if this is required.

As of 28^th of May 2020, the Prime Minister and the Chief Dental Officer announced the re-opening of Dental Surgeries from Monday, June 8^th 2020.

This has been a sudden announcement without prior knowledge; however, we have been preparing in the background by sourcing the appropriate level of PPE. We have almost all we require to re-open, but it has to be noted that supplies are limited and very difficult to get hold of and we will need to prioritise who we see. We have also upgraded our IT systems so that all medical forms, consent forms and payments can be done via sending email/SMS links.

We will initially invite all those patients that have been in contact with the practice with dental emergencies that were not seen by the urgent dental hubs. We will then move onto treatments that were not completed due to COVID-19 and are at risk of their dental health further deteriorating. There will be an eventual return to routine examinations and appointments, with patients who have already paid for their examinations and hygiene visits through PracticePlan prioritised, so their entitlements are not lost.

This will be a slow return as we have to preserve our PPE supply and patients who require more urgent intervention will be seen first. Appointments may need to be cancelled at short notice if PPE stocks have been depleted.

We would like to reassure you that the safety of our patients, staff members and the public is paramount. All our PPE and sterilisation/disinfection products are of the highest quality and EN and CE certificates have been checked and verified. Social distancing will need to be adhered to. Patients will not be allowed to enter the premises unless they have an appointment. When you arrive at the practice, you will not be able to take a seat in the waiting room and will be required to disinfect your hands and will be provided with facemask. The waiting room will not be in use and patients will need to wait in their cars or outside the practice and will be telephoned to enter the practice. It is important all our patients update their details which can be done online at: https://secure.dentr.co.uk/kent-smile-studio/start/existing. We also urgently request your medical histories are updated using the same link.

You will need to bring your smartphones with you at the appointments, as all paperwork will be signed in the surgery on your own devices and payments will be done online using your own mobile phones. We may need to take payment before the appointment. This minimises the time you spend at the practice, ensuring social distancing is maintained and protect the health of the staff, other patients and the wider public.

There will be multiple telephone consultations to triage our patient to assess their COVID-19 status, the urgency of the dental appointment and to provide instructions on how we will see them. Please note the same questions will be asked multiple times at different stages of the process. Please bear with us as we are trying to protect all that come in contact with us.

All our staff have been trained in the new cross infection controls we will be adhering to. Your dental team will look very differently dressed to how you are used to.

In the meantime, any dental emergencies, please telephone the surgery and you will be triaged as normal.

Please help us by adhering to these new rules and continue to social distance. These have been developed in the interest of protecting our staff, patients and the wider public.

Kind Regards

Dr Shushil Dattani MSc BDS DipImpDent RCS MFGDP

Clinical Director

Kent Smile Studio