The Practice is open, but the phone line remains off until 22nd June. If you have an emergency please email [email protected]. For routine appointments and rescheduled appointments, please bear with us whilst we get in touch with everyone. We will send you your new appointment date & time.
Thank you, see you soon!
COVID 19 & your dental appointment
02 April 2020
I have an Orthodontic emergency!
If you have an Orthodontic emergency during our practice closure, don’t panic. We’re quite lucky in orthodontics that the majority of issues will have no detriment on your result.
We sincerely apologise for the delay in adjustment and aligner check appointments and we will endeavour to open our doors as soon as safely possible.
23rd March 2020
The Chief Dental Officer (CDO MARCH 2020) has released a statement.
ALL DENTAL PRACTICES IN THE UK HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO:
- Cease all care of anyone who is classed as non-urgent and stop all procedures that generate aerosols.
- Dental Practices – the staff are at a very high risk of contracting the virus from the public and should only offer a dental service if they have the resources and the PPE.
For the safety of our patients, the general public and our staff members, we at Orthodontic Gallery are following BDA, NHS and LDC guidelines that ALL Orthodontic Care be stopped with immediate effect, until further notice. You will receive a text confirming the cancellation. We have cancelled ALL appointments until 31.05.2020 and we will monitor the situation until then as we may need to cancel further appointments.
We strongly advise patients to avoid seeking dental assistance until the coronavirus has been controlled and practice self-isolation for their own and others’ safety.
The NHS is being overburdened – and dentists and dental staff will soon be asked to become key workers at the NHS hospitals.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING YOU MUST WAIT UNTIL THE PRACTICE REOPENS
- Routine care such as an adjustment
- Wire changes
- Brace Fitting
- iTero Scans
- Investigation & Discussion
- Free Consultation
- Brace / Invisalign Debond
- Invisalign ClinCheck
- Invisalign aligner changes
- Invisalign aligner fits
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT MOST ORTHODONTIC PROBLEMS ARE NOT URGENT AND WE WILL ENDEAVOUR TO RESOLVE THEM AS SOON AS WE CAN.
If you believe you have an emergency that requires attention and you are NOT in the high-risk categories please contact Dr Anthony Lam, we are running an email triage system and will have to filter those that we can and can’t see.
Please contact me by email [email protected] PLEASE DO NOT CALL Your message will not be received until the practice reopens.
(It may take up to 48 hours for me to get back to you as I will be dealing with other emergencies).
Emergency ONLY clinics will be open from 09:00 -12:00 on Monday and Wednesday. Emergency appointments will be on a first come first basis – then patients will be redirected to NHS 111. I apologise in advance – there are a finite number of days that we can cover as we are limited by our resources.
Please note: A broken bracket or bonded retainer WILL NOT be treated as it requires an ‘aersol-generating’ procedure to repair.
(IF WE HAVE THE RESOURCES THEN WE WILL TRY AND SEE YOU / YOUR REFERRED PATIENT FOR URGENT CARE: Otherwise, they will be advised to seek NHS emergency care. PLEASE BE AWARE THERE IS AN EXTREME SHORTAGE OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND STAFF)
HIGH-RISK PATIENTS
NO HIGH-RISK PATIENT WILL BE SEEN AT ORTHODONTIC GALLERY:
1. ALL Infected and high-risk patients should be referred to the place advised to dentists by contacting
2. Patients can find out the local high-risk dental centre by calling NHS 111
(Special facilities have been set up with full clinical PPE setups )
WHO IS HIGH-RISK?
- Anyone displaying any COVID-19 symptoms; a new and continuous cough, sore throat, or a temperature of at least 37.8 degrees
- Patients who are or should be self-isolating
- 70 years or over
- Asthmatic
- Anyone with a respiratory condition
- Diabetic
- Low immunity
- Those that have been in contact with a known carrier or infectious individual
- Those that have been abroad within the last two weeks
- Those that continue to work or travel into Central London
- Those that use any form of public transport
- Key workers
———————-
ALL INVISALIGN PATIENTS – will be asked to hold their treatment when they come to the end of their set of aligners.
FIXED ORTHODONTIC PATIENTS – can remain in their current brace wire.
BONDED RETAINER BREAKAGES – please increase your removeable retainer wear.
You may seek advice if you are not sure what to do – please email us and I will do my utmost to get back to you. We understand the impact this will have on the continuity of your care but we know that you will understand the risk that our staff and our patients face in this industry.
We will reopen as soon as the risk to our staff and to our patients is eliminated, we will email you to let you know when we are open.
Thank you for your patience and understanding and please, be responsible through this crisis. Please stay home to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community.
Wishing you all well,
Dr Anthony Lam.
20th March 2020
The BDA has confirmed Key Worker Status for Dental Professionals. Providing staffing levels remain high and we are able to meet standard operating procedures we will remain open. Albeit with revisions to appointments for the vulnerable and with ‘aerosol-generating’ procedures ceased where possible.
19th March 2020
We continue to be led by the British Dental Association, Public Health England and the Chief Dental Officer England and we endeavour to provide a safe environment for our patients and our staff.
The latest updates include:
- Maintain standard operating procedures
- Clearly display the communication posters on COVID-19
- Practices should set up mechanisms to establish whether any potential patient or anyone in their household has symptoms, prior to any visit, by phone or text.
- Dental care services should not be delivered to those with potential COVID-19 symptoms or those in their households.
- Use robust infection control procedures, wiping down surfaces between patients with extra vigilance to include door handles etc. and use standard PPE
In addition, dental practices have been asked to:
- Reduce the number of routine check-ups by cancelling patients from vulnerable groups (and offering cancellation to anyone else who wishes to do so) to reduce the need to travel.
- Consider the potential risk of asymptomatic cases attending in this delay phase and reduce exposure of staff and patients to infection by avoiding all aerosol-generating procedures wherever possible.
If your appointment is cancelled or postponed, rest assured we want the continuity of your care just as much as you and we will be in touch with you to reschedule your appointment as soon as we are able.
16th March 2020
Given the unprecedented situation in the UK regarding the COVID-19 virus, we felt it was important to reassure you that we are continuing to keep our practice clean and safe for both you and our team in line with advice from Public Health England (PHE), the Foreign Office and we remain vigilant for signs and symptoms of the Novel Coronavirus and have appropriate action plans should they be required.
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. Nevertheless, we are paying particular attention to the latest government guidance on the transmission of coronavirus.
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 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Following Government advice, we are not accepting any patients from affected regions until the outbreak is contained, or until the individuals have been resident within the UK without symptoms for 2 weeks.
We are mindful that many patients travel regularly and would, therefore, be grateful if you have visited, or plan to visit the affected areas, as detailed here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public, that you follow the most up to date Government advice.
Keep us in the loop
Please remember to call us on 02085519336 or email is on [email protected] 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 sanitizer on the reception desk when entering and leaving the building.
Please forgive us if we don’t shake hands.
You’ll notice that we have removed some non-essential items in the reception area including our magazines. They will return once this is all over.
As a team, we are doing everything we possibly can to remain fit, well and able to work so we can continue to provide our usual high standard of dental care for you.
Thank you for the support in keeping everyone safe.
With best wishes,
Orthodontic Gallery Team