PRACTICE UPDATE 23-11-2020

We are open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday
We are now able to perform all dental treatments and although this is great news
we hope you can appreciate that we have a massive backlog of patients to see.

We are working very hard to get through everyone that needs treatment and
we ask for your patience at this time as we are endeavouring to see patients who have urgent or emergency care needs first.
We need to prioritise patients who are in pain or have swelling or bleeding. These will be seen before patients with no pain etc

We appreciate your patience and understanding through what has been a difficult time for everyone.

Please call us on 01595690265 if you have any queries, we are happy to help you as much as we can.

Guide to changes in Phase 4 Remobilisation of NHS Services

What is Phase 4?

From 1st November 2020, the Scottish Government is moving to phase 4 of the NHS Dental Remobilisation Plan.
This means that NHS dental practices should be able to provide the full range of NHS treatments to all patients in need of both urgent and non-urgent care depending on available capacity. Normal treatment costs will now apply, unless patients are exempt from paying for treatment.

How soon can I get an appointment?

Please note that this is not a return to business as usual.

Due to social distancing and infection control requirements, dental practices have a limited number of appointments available. In addition there is a significant backlog of patients who needed treatment before the onset of the pandemic but whose appointments were cancelled.
Dental teams will be prioritising patients based on oral health needs and you will be offered an appointment based on your treatment needs and the available capacity. It is likely that appointments for treatments regarded as less urgent may take some months to be available.
To book an appointment with your dentist, you should give them a call. The team will give you advice about the options available and guide you to make sure you get the right treatment at the right time.

What health and safety measures are in place?

Dental practices have made significant efforts including stringent infection control measures to ensure the safety of patients and staff.
If you are required to attend for an appointment, it is likely that your dental practice will have a slightly different layout.
Each dental practice will have an approach to physical distancing that is appropriate to its own premises. This information will be provided to you should you require an appointment. You may be given a precise time for your appointment and on arrival, you will be required to wear a face covering and follow a one way system. Waiting rooms will have reduced capacity to ensure everyone is 2 metres apart and hand sanitisers will be available.

What do I do if I have a dental emergency?

Please call us on 01595690265 or if outside normal working hours, if you have an URGENT dental need, please contact NHS 24 on 111.

Kind regards from the team at Lerwick Dental Practice