Dentist

It's like the medical routine check ups. We realise they are due but should we go as yet?

Ours reopened yesterday, we had a phone call telling us of the new procedures, but as we only needed to see the Hygienist we said that we would cancel and wait for a bit.
So you wait outside in your car until they ring you. They take your temperature you then go straight into the surgery, (no using the loo) they have screens and are all wearing protective clothing, gloves and the Perspex face masks with ordinary masks underneath.( Sounds uncomfortable for them too.) They allow time between each patient for a clean down and a change of clothing after you have left. So not many patients per day.
They are open for emergencies, so if all else fails we have that to fall back on.

If your surgery is like mine they have always had the highest possible hygiene standards. We had a call from our dentist saying when they give us an appointment (working through the backlog so cancelled our usually 6 monthly check up) you must arrive alone, have your temperature taken at the door, be given a mask on sanitise your hands (that might be in a different order I forget). There will be no waiting room waits and all staff are in full PPE. I would be happy to go for my app when it comes. They are going to ring us the day before to go through the procedure again before our app.

The last I heard from my dentist was when they cancelled my check up scheduled for this month. When I enquired about emergency treatment they said I would be directed to another surgery (some miles drive away) to be dealt with there (by a dentist I have never seen or heard of)! I was assured that once they were up and running again they would resume my routine treatments, but I haven’t heard a dicky bird since then. I wonder what they do with their private patients?

Had a call from ours this morning cancelling dental and hygienist appointments booked for the end of July. Still only seeing emergency patients. We’re on a list and will be allocated an appointment when they get to us. No idea of time frame today. Said they aren’t permitted to see patients yet. Not sure if that’s accurate, maybe someone will know for sure. The only bright note was they are the local emergency hub so if my tooth pain gets worse at least I would be seen there although not by my usual dentist. Who’d have thought I’d be keen to see a dentist?

I rang mine for something that isn’t urgent, first she said they were not ‘really’ open, whatever that means and after establishing that it’s not urgent she said try ringing again in 2 months!!
Flabbergasted ?

I went at the end of May as we are ahead of you here in France. My dentist rang to give me an appt as like you Sunlover I was in the middle of exactly the same treatment when lockdown started. All treatment completed now and no problems.
Go ahead and have it done is my advice. Good luck.

Dentists in the UK were ordered to close in March and could reopen 8 June, although not all gave as yet got themselves organised and ready. The private practice which we owned until December and where my DH now works as an associate, reopened on 8 June. Already regulated by strict guidelines, they have all possible safety measures in place and are now seeing check ups as well as urgent cases. Do go and complete your treatment, you will be fine.

Thanks everyone. Will phone and sort out getting an appointment.

I’m got an appointment tomorrow.

I had a call from my dental practice to cancel my up coming appointment. It was for the 24 th June. The chap who called didn't make me a further appointment, so now I'm in limbo.

Mine has a very informative web site which tells me they will be taking routine appointments from July 6th, so I'm expecting to have my temporary filling replaced by a crown quite soon thereafter.

Seems some are better organised than others. Sadly ours isn’t the best.

My dentists' practice, which is brand new and already very well equipped with state-of-the-art technology, is getting a lot of new high tech "particle removers" and other complicated equipment for safety.

They have kept all of us very well informed, and said that once all this safety equipment is in place, they will reopen, probably at the end of June.

I checked website of my Nhs dentist. Seems they have been able to deal with urgent appointments from 8th June and hope to be seeing patients on their list “soon”. Says they will phone all patients in due course and be updating their website as things change.

I had an appointment for a checkup, a hygienist appointment and a new partial denture due to be fitted at beginning of lockdown. Don’t know when these will happen as I had an accident a week or so ago and now have broken arm and leg. Don’t think I’ll be going anywhere soon☹️

Kittye, what bad luck. An arm and a leg? You really don't do things by half. I won't be nosy and ask what you were doing, but I hope that now you're not in too much pain and are recuperating well.

So, I’ve been to see my dentist. He x-rayed my teeth where the trouble is and diagnosed what we suspected from phone conversations. It’s an infection in the gum where a couple of bits of root were left after an extraction. He’s referred me to a specialist clinic where the maxillofacial surgeon will remove them. Normally it would be the hospital but at the moment it’s in a specialised clinic. He’s prescribed further antibiotics for now. I should get an appointment in two to three weeks.
He did say that dentists are still not allowed to use drills, but they are hoping that they will be given permission to drill in July.
I hope that information helps those of you who are waiting.